86 
SOME NOTES ON BIRDS IN SARAWAK. 
straggle away in twos and threes. The feathers are very 
loose, and it is difficult to skin, because in places there 
seem to be two skins, which separate easily from the body, 
but only the outer one can be preserved. Feet slate grey. 
Merops sumatranus, Raffl. 
(The Sumatran Bee-eater.) 
Fairly common during the months of April to September ; 
often seen flying about, and may easily be mistaken for a 
swallow against the sky, but it is larger, and the wings are 
triangular when spread ; also, when turning in the air after 
flies the tail is spread out in a bluntly forked fan. The 
two elongated feathers of the tail are in most cases nothing 
but the bare shafts of the feathers. These birds may often 
be seen ranging and quartering an area after flies, and 
making their hoarse whistle or cackle. The iris is crimson ; 
feet brownish-black. Shot two at Tai Ton, which I had 
watched in a paddy field sitting on dead trees, every now 
and then making short flights to catch insects. 
Nyctiornis amicta, Temm. 
(The Red-bearded Bee-eater.) 
Specimen shot at Jaguay (February 19th, 1912) was 
clambering about a tree on the banks of a stream; there 
were at least two together, and they seemed to be feeding 
on insects. Iris bright orange. Stomach full of beetles. 
May 10th, 1912.—Shot a specimen of the above, pre¬ 
sumably a young bird, at Lanchang, Samarahan, which 
showed no red, and the tail was quite short, but the black 
tip and the yellow under side to the tail were evident. 
The iris was browny-grey colour. The note is a hoarse 
cackle. The Lanchang Dayaks called it “ Burong Haw 
Haw,” but this does not quite represent the noise. This 
bird was a female. They probably catch all their food 
(insects) on the leaves and twigs of trees, and not on the 
wing. 
Caprimulgus macrurus, Horsf. 
(The Javan Goatsucker.) 
Common; it is seen swooping and flitting about at night, 
also hovering like a hawk, which it resembles in flight. 
The cry is a monotonous “ jtock, jtock, jtock,” uttered at 
irregular intervals, and it gives from one to seven “ jtocks ” 
at a time in quick succession. 
