nd wings of deep crimson, with the
head, and extremity of its long indented tail, white; the legs red. It
lives on the worms generated in the decayed part of old trees, and is
about the size of a blackbird. Of the same size is the burong sawei, a
bird of a bluish black colour, with a dove-tail, from which extend two
very long feathers, terminating circularly. It seems to be what is called
the widow-bird, and is formidable to the kite.

The burong pipit resembles the sparrow in its appearance, habits,
numbers, and the destruction it causes to the grain.

The quail, puyuh (coturnix); but whether a native or a bird of passage, I
cannot determine.

The starling (sturnus), of which I know not the Malayan name.

The swallow, layang-layang (hirundo), one species of which, called layang
buhi, from its being supposed to collect the froth of the sea, is that
which constructs the edible nests.

The mu-rei, or dial-bird, resembling a small magpie, has a pretty but
short note. There is not any bird in the country that can be said to
sing. The ti-yong, or mino, a black bird with yellow gills, has the
faculty of imitating human speech in greater perfection than any other of
the feathered tribe. There is also a yellow species, but not loquacious.

Of the parrot kind the variety is not so great as might be expected, and
consists chiefly of those denominated parakeets. The beautiful luri,
though not uncommon, is brought from the eastward. The kakatua is an
inhabitant chiefly of the southern extremity of the island.

The Indian goose, angsa and gangsa (anser); the duck, bebek and itik
(anas); and the teal, belibi, are common.

INSECTS.

With insects the island may truly be said to swarm; and I doubt whether
there is any part of the world where greater variety is to be found. Of
these I shall only attempt to enumerate a few:

The kunang, or firefly, larger than the common fly, (which it resembles),
with the phosphoric matter in the abdomen, regularly and quickly
intermitting its light, as if by respiration; by holding one of them in
my hand I could see to read at night;

Lipas, the cockroach (blatta); chingkarek, the cricket (gryllus);

Lebah, taun, the bee (apis), whose honey is gathered in the woods;
kumbang, a species of apis, that bores its nest in timber, and thence
acquires the name of the carpenter;

Sumut, the ant (formica), the multitudes of which overrun the country,
and its varieties are not less extraordinary tha