the malay archipelago-1-第41章

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sect　life　is　therefore　turned　to　some　account　by　these　islanders。

Finding　that　birds　were　not　very　numerous；　and　hearing　much　of　Labuan　Tring　at　the　southern　extremity　of　the　bay；　where　there　was　said　to　be　much　uncultivated　country　and　plenty　of　birds　as　well　as　deer　and　wild　pigs；　I　determined　to　go　there　with　my　two　servants；　Ali；　the　Malay　lad　from　Borneo；　and　Manuel；　a　Portuguese　of　Malacca　accustomed　to　bird…skinning。　I　hired　a　native　boat　with　outriggers　to　take　us　with　our　small　quantity　of　luggage；　on　a　day's　rowing　and　tracking　along　the　shore　brought　us　to　the　place。

I　had　a　note　of　introduction　to　an　Amboynese　Malay；　and　obtained　the　use　of　part　of　his　house　to　live　and　work　in。　His　name　was　〃Inchi　Daud〃　（Mr。　David）；　and　he　was　very　civil；　but　his　accommodations　were　limited；　and　he　could　only　hire　me　part　of　his　reception…room。　This　was　the　front　part　of　a　bamboo　house　（reached　by　a　ladder　of　about　six　rounds　very　wide　apart）；　and　having　a　beautiful　view　over　the　bay。　However；　I　soon　made　what　arrangements　were　possible；　and　then　set　to　work。　The　country　around　was　pretty　and　novel　to　me；　consisting　of　abrupt　volcanic　hills　enclosing　flat　valleys　or　open　plains。　The　hills　were　covered　with　a　dense　scrubby　bush　of　bamboos　and　prickly　trees　and　shrubs；　the　plains　were　adorned　with　hundreds　of　noble　palm…　trees；　and　in　many　places　with　a　luxuriant　shrubby　vegetation。　Birds　were　plentiful　and　very　interesting；　and　I　now　saw　for　the　first　time　many　Australian　forms　that　are　quite　absent　from　the　islands　westward。　Small　white　cockatoos　were　abundant；　and　their　loud　screams；　conspicuous　white　colour；　and　pretty　yellow　crests；　rendered　them　a　very　important　feature　in　the　landscape。　This　is　the　most　westerly　point　on　the　globe　where　any　of　the　family　are　to　be　found。　Some　small　honeysuckers　of　the　genus　Ptilotis；　and　the　strange　moundmaker　（Megapodius　gouldii）；　are　also　here　first　met　with　on　the　traveller's　journey　eastward。　The　last　mentioned　bird　requires　a　fuller　notice。

The　Megapodidae　are　a　small　family　of　birds　found　only　in　Australia　and　the　surrounding　islands；　but　extending　as　far　as　the　Philippines　and　Northwest　Borneo。　They　are　allied　to　the　gallinaceous　birds；　but　differ　from　these　and　from　all　others　in　never　sitting　upon　their　eggs；　which　they　bury　in　sand；　earth；　or　rubbish；　and　leave　to　be　hatched　by　the　heat　of　the　sun　or　by　fermentation。　They　are　all　characterised　by　very　large　feet　and　long　curved　claws；　and　most　of　the　species　of　Megapodius　rake　and　scratch　together　all　kinds　of　rubbish；　dead　leaves；　sticks；　stones；　earth；　rotten　wood；　etc。；　until　they　form　a　large　mound；　often　six　feet　high　and　twelve　feet　across；　in　the　middle　of　which　they　bury　their　eggs。　The　natives　can　tell　by　the　condition　of　these　mounds　whether　they　contain　eggs　or　not；　and　they　rob　them　whenever　they　can；　as　the　brick…red　eggs　（as　large　as　those　of　a　swan）　are　considered　a　great　delicacy。　A　number　of　birds　are　said　to　join　in　making　these　mounds　and　lay　their　eggs　together；　so　that　sometimes　forty　or　fifty　may　be　found。　The　mounds　are　to　be　met　with　here　and　there　in　dense　thickets；　and　are　great　puzzles　to　strangers；　who　cannot　understand　who　can　possibly　have　heaped　together　cartloads　of　rubbish　in　such　out…of…the…way　places；　and　when　they　inquire　of　the　natives　they　are　but　little　wiser；　for　it　almost　always　appears　to　them　the　wildest　romance　to　be　told　that　it　is　all　done　by　birds。　The　species　found　in　Lombock　is　about　the　size　of　a　small　hen；　and　entirely　of　dark　olive　and　brown　tints。　It　is　a　miscellaneous　feeder；　devouring　fallen　fruits；　earthworms；　snails；　and　centipedes；　but　the　flesh　is　white　and　well…flavoured　when　properly　cooked。

The　large　green　pigeons　were　still　better　eating；　and　were　much　more　plentiful。　These　fine　birds；　exceeding　our　largest　tame　pigeons　in　size；　abounded　on　the　palm…trees；　which　now　bore　huge　bunches　of　fruitsmere　hard　globular　nuts；　about　an　inch　in　diameter；　and　covered　with　a　dry　green　skin　and　a　very　small　portion　of　pulp。　Looking　at　the　pigeon's　bill　and　head；　it　would　seem　impossible　that　it　could　swallow　such　large　masses；　or　that　it　could　obtain　any　nourishment　from　them；　yet　I　often　shot　these　birds　with　several　palm…fruits　in　the　crop；　which　generally　burst　when　they　fell　to　the　ground。　I　obtained　here　eight　species　of　Kingfishers；　among　which　was　a　very　beautiful　new　one；　named　by　Mr。　Gould；　Halcyon　fulgidus。　It　was　found　always　in　thickets；　away　from　water；　and　seemed　to　feed　on　snails　and　insects　picked　up　from　the　ground　after　the　manner　of　the　great　Laughing　Jackass　of　Australia。　The　beautiful　little　violet　and　orange　species　（Ceyx　rufidorsa）　is　found　in　similar　situations；　and　darts　rapidly　along　like　a　flame　of　fire。　Here　also　I　first　met　with　the　pretty　Australian　Bee…eater　（Merops　ornatus）。　This　elegant　little　bird　sits　on　twigs　in　open　places；　gazing　eagerly　around；　and　darting　off　at　intervals　to　seize　some　insect　which　it　sees　flying　near；　returning　afterwards　to　the　same　twig　to　swallow　it。　Its　long；　sharp；　curved　bill；　the　two　long　narrow　feathers　in　its　tail；　its　beautiful　green　plumage　varied　with　rich　brown　and　black　and　vivid　blue　on　the　throat；　render　it　one　of　the　most　graceful　and　interesting　objects　a　naturalist　can　see　for　the　first　time。

Of　all　the　birds　of　Lombock；　however；　I　sought　most　after　the　beautiful　ground　thrushes　（Pitta　concinna）；　and　always　thought　myself　lucky　if　I　obtained　one。　They　were　found　only　in　the　dry　plains　densely　covered　with　thickets；　and　carpeted　at　this　season　with　dead　leaves。　They　were　so　shy　that　it　was　very　difficult　to　get　a　shot　at　them；　and　it　was　only　after　a　good　deal　of　practice　that　I　discovered　low　to　do　it。　The　habit　of　these　birds　is　to　hop　about　on　the　ground；　picking　up　insects；　and　on　the　least　alarm　to　run　into　the　densest　thicket　or　take　a　flight　close　to　the　ground。　At　intervals　they　utter　a　peculiar　cry　of　two　notes　which　when　once　heard　is　easily　recognised；　and　they　can　also　be　heard　hopping　along　among　the　dry　leaves。

My　practice　was；　therefore；　to　walk　cautiously　along　the　narrow　pathways　with　which　the　country　abounded；　and　on　detecting　any　sign　of　a　Pitta's　vicinity　to　stand　motionless　and　give　a　gentle　whistle　occasionally；　imitating　the　notes　as　near　as　possible。　After　half　an　hour's　waiting　I　was　often　rewarded　by　seeing　the　pretty　bird　hopping　along　in　the　thicket。　Then　I　would　perhaps　lose　sight　of　it　again；　until　leaving　my　gun　raised　and　ready　for　a　shot；　a　second　glimpse　would　enable　me　to　secure　my　prize；　and　admire　its　soft　puffy　plumage　and　lovely　colours。　The　upper　part　is　rich　soft　green；　the　head　jet　black　with　a　stripe　of　blue　and　brown　over　each　eye；　at　the　base　of　the　tail　and　on　the　shoulders　are　bands　of　bright　silvery　blue；　the　under　side　is　delicate　buff　with　a　stripe　of　rich　crimson；　bordered　with　black　on　the　belly。　Beautiful　grass…green　doves；　little　crimson　and　black　flower…　peckers；　large　black　cuckoos；　metallic　king…crows；　golden　orioles；　and　the　fine　jungle…cocksthe　origin　of　all　our　domestic　breeds　of　poultrywere　among　the　birds　that　chiefly　attracted　my　attention　during　our　stay　at　Labuan　Tring。

The　most　characteristic　feature　of　the　jungle　was　its　thorniness。　The　shrubs　were　thorny；　the　creepers　were　thorny；　the　bamboos　even　were　thorny。　Everything　grew　zigzag　and　jagged；　and　in　an　inextricable　tangle；　so　that　to　get　through　the　bush　with　gun　or　net　or　even　spectacles；　was　generally　not　to　be　done；　and　insect…　catching　in　such　localities　was　out　of　the　question。　It　was　in　such　places　that　the　Pittas　often　lurked；　and　when　shot　it　became　a　matter　of　some　difficulty　to　secure　the　bird；　and　seldom　without　a　heavy　payment　of　pricks　and　scratches　and　torn　clothes　could　the　prize　be　won。　The　dry　volcanic　soil　and　arid　climate　seem　favourable　to　the　production　of　such　stunted　and　thorny　vegetation；　for　the　natives　assured　me　that　this　was　nothing　to　the　thorns　and　prickles　of　Sumbawa　whose　surface　still　bears　the　covering　of　volcanic　ashes　thrown　out　forty　years　ago　by　the　terrible　eruption　of　Tomboro。

Among　the　shrubs　and　trees　that　are　not　prickly　the　Apocynaceae　were　most　abundant；　their　bilobed　fruits　of　varied　form　and　colour　and　often　of　most　tempting　app