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Show 536 MR H. PRYER ON THE [Nov. 18, they must undoubtedly possess wonderful powers of sight to fly about in the dark in the deepest recesses of their caves and to return to their nests, often built in places where no light ever penetrates. Shortly before sundown a pair of Kites made their appearance, and, taking their station over the Bat-chasm, would every now and then clumsily swoop down into the thick of the Bats, generally securing a victim every time. I shot both these marauders, which proved to be Haliaster indus, a very beautiful but common bird. There were also several specimens of a Hawk working away on the Bats in a very business-like manner, and woe betide the unfortunate bat singled out from its flock and put in chase. The way these Hawks took the Bats one after the other was astonishing, and strongly reminded me of a man eating oysters. I shot several of these Hawks, but only secured one, the others being lost over the side of the cliff. It proved to be the rare Machirhamphus alcinus, remarkable for the size of its gape and its small beak, both of which very much resemble those of the Swift. Its habits in taking its prey are also similar, the Swift catching and swallowing its food while on the wing in the same way this H a w k does. Arising before daylight, I witnessed a reversal of the proceedings of the previous night, the Swifts now going out of Simud Putih and the Bats going into Simud Itam. The latter literally "rained" into their chasm for two hours after daylight. On looking up, the air seemed filled with small specks, which flashed down perpendicularly with great rapidity and disappeared in the darkness below. Several examples of Machirhamphus alcinus put in an appearance, hawking after the Swifts, which they had rarely attempted to take the night before, and generally then without success. Their plan now was to swoop down from behind into the stream of birds issuing from the mouth of Simud Putih, generally carrying off a bird each three times they attempted to do so. I secured many specimens of the Bat, and found them to be all of one species ; the caudal membrane extends only half down the tail, which is free for half an inch, giving the animal very much the appearance of a mouse when the wings are folded. The wings are very long and narrow, and it is a very swift flyer. I noticed a few specimens of a Swallow resembling Hirundo rustica, and also some very large Bats at the mouth of the cave. After breakfast I started for the summit of the cliff; the path, which is barely two feet wide, in many places overhangs the Bat-chasm, the bottom of which is lost in darkness 600 feet below. The summit at 900 feet is reached : here was a most lovely view :-to the east is a large plain, in the early morning covered with mist resembling a vast sheet of water ; this is no doubt the origin of the mythical lake of Kina Balu, which only exists in the imagination of the map-makers. In every direction except the north extended miles upon miles of forest, broken here and there by mountain-tops. Unfortunately Kina Balu, the highest mountain in Malayasia, was hidden by clouds. To the north I could trace the whole of Sandakan Bay and the open sea beyond. I was much surprised to find |