80 
NORTH BORNEO. 
colour to the surroundings. Though a heavy bird, this species migrates from island to 
island in search of food, traversing great distances; its flesh is tough and bitter, and was 
not relished by my followers, though I had “Burong jinjuni” every day for a week. 
Besides the Nicobar there is another Pigeon (Carpopliagci bicolor) in hundreds on this 
island; this is perhaps as beautiful in its modest colouring as the other species is in its 
magnificence, being of a lovely creamy white with black wings and tail. These Pigeons 
swarmed in the tops of some fruit-bearing trees, where they were continually fighting and 
driving one another about. It is one of the wonders of Nature how her most conspicuously 
coloured offspring, when in their natural spheres, escape observation by their very con¬ 
spicuousness. Thus it will be found on carefully examining the top of a forest tree which 
you know contains many dozens of these conspicuously coloured Pigeons, that you are 
unable to see one on looking up from below, unless they betray their whereabouts by action, 
the glare of the tropical sun, or the colours of the clouds, being all that is necessary to 
render them invisible. This Pigeon, the “ Pergum rawa ” of the natives, frequents small 
islands off the coast of Borneo, and may be met with out at sea during its migrations in 
search of food. The quantity of Pigeons on small islands is to be accounted for by the 
absence of monkeys. Another interesting though well-known bird, the Megapode, was also 
plentiful; but as I was able to study its habits when in Palawan, I will enter into fuller 
details about it in that part of my work. This island abounds in wild pigs, which have 
arrived by swimming from the main island, and several were shot by my natives during 
our stay. 
Another beautiful bird is plentiful, Pitta cyanoptera; this species has a yellow breast, 
bright blue patches on the wings and tail, and a green back. They are here on one of 
their migratory movements, and when this island was subsequently visited by some 
coEectors this species was absent, its place being taken by another species (P. muelleri), 
which was not on the island at the time of my visit. 
Several times in the forest near the beach I have seen curious little models of houses ; 
in the inside were coconut-shells and little grass trays containing tobacco : these little 
buildings have been erected by the fishermen, and contained offerings to the hantus, to 
ensure good luck in the fishing-season. In the Kilias, amongst the mangrove-swamps are 
many of these hantus’ houses ; some have, even models of cannons at their doors. My men 
would not touch anything belonging to them, declaring that the “ hantus ” would bring 
about ill-luck if they were to do so. Walking one day to the eastern extremity of the 
island, I discovered that Ave Avere not the only inhabitants of Pulo Tega, a number of 
natives from the opposite coast having built quite a little village, Avhere they Avere busily 
employed salting and drying fish. On a pole was stuck the head of a Hammer-headed 
Shark. At nights Ave used to kill numbers of fish with the aid of a torch on the sandy 
banks ; one night one of the men killed a small SaAv-fish in this Avay. Natives are very fond 
of fishing at night with torches : at Labuan, during a low tide, the shore for mBes is a 
perfect blaze with torches; there, hoAvever, a curious crab is the object of capture. After 
spending a pleasant Aveek on Pulo Tega, Ave sailed again on the 28th for Qualla Penyu, and 
after visiting several spots on the banks of the KEias for collecting, Ave reached Labuan 
