Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-07
FROM WESTERN BORNEO
VALUABLE COLLECTION RE-
CEIVED AT NATIONAL MUSEUM.

| An extremely valuable collection. consist
| ing of thirty-three cases of natural history
| and chronological specimens, was RECEIVED
! ct the National Museum yesterday from DR..
| ". l.. Abbott of Singapore Straits of Ma
! Iacca The collection was made by DR.,
! Abbott in the Dutch provinces of western
Borneo. the land of the Dyak and the
head-hunter." and is the largest from that
region ever received in America. Its value
| is also enhanced by the fact that the people
in whose country it was made are sue
cu.nb!ng to the influences of civflizat ton.
and their primitive implements and works of
art will soon be lost. while the native ami
mails are being rapidly exterminated by the
introduction of firearms.
The most valuable and interesting part of
the natural history collection consists of the
mammals. and includes some fine skins OIL
the now almost extinct ordng-outang, as wei
as large additional series of skulls OBJ
tanned from the natives. OF almost as much
value is a fine series of the rare probosclS
monkey, a grotesque creature with long.
flexible snout, like the diminutive trunk OF
an elephant; blight acknowledgement
head a grayish back and a conspicuous
white band across the hips. Monkeys. IN
deed, form a large part of the collection,
for, in addition TO those already mentioned
there is a species of gibbon and TWO, spe-
VI
and snowy under-parts, the other of dull
blaclSish color, over which there is a beau
tiful coat of soft, silvery hair.
The most beautiful, as well as the most
varied of all the animals of this region are
the squirrels In size they vary from tiny
creatures scarcely larger than mouse,
to animals weighing five or six pounds,
with great bushy tails almost two feet IN
length. In color we find some of somber
gray. not unlike the squirrel Of our parks,
and others with the most gorgeous of
markings. in red, white. black or silvery
gray, blended in almost every combination
of which nature could conceiVe-biack
backs, white fiankS, red bellies; gray backs,
black TANKS, red bellies; gray cheeks, COM
bined with black and white bodies; red
checks. with black and gray bodies, and an
endless variety of others.
Other mammals of interest are the pigmy
deer, scarcely larger than a fox-terTier dog +;
tailless lemurs, with beautiful silky fur, and
others with great protruding eyes half as
large as their heads and long frog-ike toes;
a sort of armadillo with his coat of mail
composed of scales like those of fish: tree
shrews, which look like squirrels. but which
biologists say are related to the moles;
as well as otter, Civets, a young wild cat
and a red mongoose.
The chronological part of the collection
consists of spears, mats and baskets of ma
tive make; a large case of swords, with
deliberately carved hilts; shields which are
relics of the head-hunting days; necklace
instruments; baskets with attachments for
fastening to the back and head so that
heavy loads be carried in them, and
traps for catching fish well as many
others articles of native workmanship
Not the least interesting thing in the lot is
a primitive cradle, consisting merely of a
rounded, trough-like piece of wood, which
could be rocked by touching with the foot.
DR.. Abbott, the donor Of the collection,
is an American by birth. belonging to a
prominent Philadelphia family. but he has
spent many years collecting in Africa, Tibet
and Malaysia. He is quite wealthy and not
only has he built and equipped schooner
to assist him in his work among the Ma
layan islands, but ne has recently hired
an English naturalist to visit islands and
make collections where he cannot himself
go. All of his valuable specimens are pre-
scented TO the National Museum and he
even defrays the cost of shipping them to
this country. Nearly 5000 birds an equal
number of mammals, as we'll as many thou
sand articles illustrative of the arts of
primitive peoples, are now in the national
collections as the result of the work of this
indefatigable naturalist, and large num-
Der of monographs and short articles based
on his work have been published by the
curators of the various departments
Owing to the great scientific value of the
specimens themselves and the crowded con-
dition of the exhibition halls. no large part
of the new collection will be put on exhibit
ton al the present time.