1S2 
KINA BALU: SECOND EXPEDITION. 
them fresh vegetables—for which we are truly thankful—in exchange for empty provision- 
tins ! We have now several of the new Harpactes; like all Trogons it is hard to obtain, 
being a living puff-ball of soft feathers. When shot, if it strikes a branch, the back or 
breast is shaved clean of feathers. 
17th.—The great event of the day has been the discovery of the nest of Calyptomena 
whiteheadi. Whilst resting in a dense part of the forest, I sent on Nyhan to try and shoot 
some large Fruit-Pigeons ( Carpophaga badia ) which were “ booming ” in the high trees 
near. In a few minutes a bird settled near me, making a peculiar “ Kwr-r ’’-like sound; 
on my moving slightly it flew away, but shortly returned to another tree, which I carefully 
approached. I soon espied the bird, a Calyptomena , holding on to a large tuft of moss ; it 
remained in the same position for some seconds watching me, when it dawned upon me 
that that dangling lump of moss was a great prize—the nest of my finest novelty. A shot 
from my collecting-gun brought down the bird, and when Nyhan returned I sent him 
up the tree; but the nest, alas! contained two dull yellow featherless youngsters, both 
killed by the same shot that destroyed their mother. The nest was hanging from the end 
of a slender bough about fifty feet from the ground. The outside was composed of fresh 
green moss bound over the bough and worked into the sides, ending in a long streamer, 
which assists in assimilating the nest to the long dripping streamers of moss and lichens 
which hang from every bough in this continual rainy region (see frontispiece). The 
inside of the nest is very solid, lined with dry bamboo-leaves above and below, forming 
a well sheltered pocket. Plaving thus obtained a clue to the nesting-habits of this 
species, I visited all likely places for their nests, and shortly after found a nest con¬ 
taining two eggs. This nest was similar to the one first found, and w^as placed at the 
extremity of a long slender bough over an open space; this position is chosen doubtless 
as a protection from the attacks of monkeys. The eggs are glossy, creamy white. Fain 
late in the day. 
18th.—Kabong called and has set over one hundred bamboo rat-traps in the forest. 
As we are living here, he says we can collect the rats, skin them, and save the flesh for 
him to take away when he calls, which is about every other day. I have been having, 
with the assistance of Buntar, who can now converse with the Dusuns, quite a long 
conversation on rats with Kabong. He has given me nineteen Dusun names of nineteen 
species of rats and squirrels with which he is acquainted on these mountains. There are 
three species he says I have not got—namely, the Hintabun, the Rapit, and the “ Parad 
Parad.” r Ihe pigmy squirrel he calls “ Mantok,” the common rat “ Ticus-tahiti,” the house- 
mouse “ Ticus-walli,” and a shrew “ Gansouri.” At the mention of this little animal’s 
name Kabong’s face bears an expression of disgust, and he turns up his nose (for Kabong, 
I must tell you, is rather a handsome Dusun and has a nose with which he can express 
displeasure); he shakes his head and says “No good! ” That is to say, that shrews are too 
strong for even Dusun stomachs, and in this country they are avoided by cats. A Dusun 
has no admiration for an animal if he cannot eat it ; at the mention of “ Kurra,” the large 
red monkey, his face is wreathed in smiles. Rats are very numerous in Borneo, quite a 
plague at times; the Dusuns, however, eat rats, so the rodents do not have it quite all their 
own way. Two very large species which I discovered, Mus sabanns, the “ Barud ” of the 
