the malay archipelago-1-第37部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！

ould　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　appearance；　hanging　everywhere　by　the　waysides　as　if　to　invite　to　destruction　the　weary　traveller　who　may　be　unaware　of　their　poisonous　properties。　One　in　particular　with　a　smooth　shining　skin　of　a　golden　orange　colour　rivals　in　appearance　the　golden　apples　of　the　Hesperides；　and　has　great　attractions　for　many　birds；　from　the　white　cockatoos　to　the　little　yellow　Zosterops；　who　feast　on　the　crimson　seeds　which　are　displayed　when　the　fruit　bursts　open。　The　great　palm　called　〃Gubbong〃　by　the　natives；　a　species　of　Corypha；　is　the　most　striking　feature　of　the　plains；　where　it　grows　by　thousands　and　appears　in　three　different　statesin　leaf；　in　flower　and　fruit；　or　dead。　It　has　a　lofty　cylindrical　stem　about　a　hundred　feet　high　and　two　to　three　feet　in　diameter；　the　leaves　are　large　and　fan…shaped；　and　fall　off　when　the　tree　flowers；　which　it　does　only　once　in　its　life　in　a　huge　terminal　spike；　upon　which　are　produced　masses　of　a　smooth　round　fruit　of　a　green　colour　rind　about　an　inch　in　diameter。　When　those　ripen　and　fall　the　tree　dies；　and　remains　standing　a　year　or　two　before　it　falls。　Trees　in　leaf　only　are　by　far　the　most　numerous；　then　those　in　flower　and　fruit；　while　dead　trees　are　scattered　here　and　there　among　them。　The　trees　in　fruit　are　the　resort　of　the　great　green　fruit　pigeons；　which　have　been　already　mentioned。　Troops　of　monkeys　（Macacus　cynoraolgus）　may　often　be　seen　occupying　a　tree；　showering　down　the　fruit　in　great　profusion；　chattering　when　disturbed　and　making　an　enormous　rustling　as　they　scamper　off　among　the　dead　palm　leaves；　while　the　pigeons　have　a　loud　booming　voice　more　like　the　roar　of　a　wild　beast　than　the　note　of　a　bird。

My　collecting　operations　here　were　carried　on　under　more　than　usual　difficulties。　One　small　room　had　to　serve　for　eating；　sleeping　and　working；and　one　for　storehouse　and　dissecting…room；　in　it　were　no　shelves；　cupboards；　chairs　or　tables；　ants　swarmed　in　every　part　of　it；　and　dogs；　cats　and　fowls　entered　it　at　pleasure。　Besides　this　it　was　the　parlour　and　reception…room　of　my　host；　and　I　was　obliged　to　consult　his　convenience　and　that　of　the　numerous　guests　who　visited　us。　My　principal　piece　of　furniture　was　a　box；　which　served　me　as　a　dining　table；　a　seat　while　skinning　birds；　and　as　the　receptacle　of　the　birds　when　skinned　and　dried。　To　keep　them　free　from　ants　we　borrowed；　with　somedifficulty；　an　old　bench；　the　four　legs　of　which　being　placed　in　cocoa…nut　shells　filled　with　water　kept　us　tolerably　free　from　these　pests。　The　box　and　the　bench　were；　however；　literally　the　only　places　where　anything　could　be　put　away；　and　they　were　generally　well　occupied　by　two　insect　boxes　and　about　a　hundred　birds'　skins　in　process　of　drying。　It　may　therefore　be　easily　conceived　that　when　anything　bulky　or　out　of　the　common　way　was　collected；　the　question　〃Where　is　it　to　be　put？〃　was　rather　a　difficult　one　to　answer。　All　animal　substances　moreover　require　some　time　to　dry　thoroughly；　emit　a　very　disagreeable　odour　while　doing　so；　and　are　particularly　attractive　to　ants；　flies；　dogs；　rats；　cats；　and　other　vermin；　calling　for　special　cautions　and　constant　supervision；　which　under　the　circumstances　above　described　were　impossible。

My　readers　may　now　partially　understand　why　a　travelling　naturalist　of　limited　means；　like　myself；　does　so　much　less　than　is　expected　or　than　he　would　himself　wish　to　do。　It　would　be　interesting　to　preserve　skeletons　of　many　birds　and　animals；　reptiles　and　fishes　in　spirits；　skins　of　the　larger　animals；　remarkable　fruits　and　woods　and　the　most　curious　articles　of　manufacture　and　commerce；　but　it　will　be　seen　that　under　the　circumstances　I　have　just　described；　it　would　have　been　impossible　to　add　these　to　the　collections　which　were　my　own　more　especial　favourites。　When　travelling　by　boat　the　difficulties　are　as　great　or　greater；　and　they　are　not　diminished　when　the　journey　is　by　land。　It　was　absolutely　necessary　therefore　to　limit　my　collections　to　certain　groups　to　which　I　could　devote　constant　personal　attention；　and　thus　secure　from　destruction　or　decay　what　had　been　often　obtained　by　much　labour　and　pains。

While　Manuel　sat　skinning　his　birds　of　an　afternoon；　generally　surrounded　by　a　little　crowd　of　Malays　and　Sassaks　（as　the　indigenes　of　Lombock　are　termed）；　he　often　held　forth　to　them　with　the　air　of　a　teacher；　and　was　listened　to　with　profound　attention。　He　was　very　fond　of　discoursing　on　the　〃special　providences〃　of　which　he　believed　he　was　daily　the　subject。　〃Allah　has　been　merciful　today；〃　he　would　sayfor　although　a　Christian　he　adopted　the　Mahometan　mode　of　speech…　〃and　has　given　us　some　very　fine　birds；　we　can　do　nothing　without　him。〃　Then　one　of　the　Malays　would　reply；　〃To　be　sure；　birds　are　like　mankind；　they　have　their　appointed　time　to　die；　when　that　time　comes　nothing　can　save　them；　and　if　it　has　not　come　you　cannot　kill　them。〃　A　murmur　of　assent　follow；　until　sentiments　and　cries　of　〃Butul！　Butul！〃　（Right；　right。）　Then　Manuel　would　tell　a　long　story　of　one　of　his　unsuccessful　huntshow　he　saw　some　fine　bird　and　followed　it　a　long　way；　and　then　missed　it；