Evening star., 1926-05-16

to his collection birds. including the
pair Of black-crested hOrnbills These
birds frequent the banks of the Musi
River during the early morning hours
and then fly off INTO the jungle dur
ing the heat of the day. returning at
night to rest in the tree tops on the
iungles edge. Two hundred birds
were trapped Ivy Lieut.. Kellers. but
only small number survived the
months cruise on board ship back to-
the United States.
Marine collections were gathered by
DIR. kellers in the Indian Ocean and
the Musi River. an outrigeer canoe
being used in deep.sea fishing and
seining. Water reptiles. sea serpents.
water snakes six and seven feet long
were collected on the reef off Poeloet
icus. The draco. flying lizard. color
ed as beautifully az a butterfly. was
one of DR.. kellers catches. He cap
tured also coral fish. which Is a
very rare species. Most of these ma
rine specimens were helpless on land.
A flat tail distinguishes them. All
are poisonous and live on fish. They
were not pucnacious. the native fish
ermen throwing them back into the
sea when caught in their seines.
A nine-foot cobra. the most vicious
snake that frequents the islands Of
Sumatra and Java. was shot 10y DIR.
Kelers and his native aids. and the
skin of the reptile has been preserved
for the Smithsonian collection. The
snake has fangs three.elghts Of an
inch long. not unlike teeth. and when
the mouth Is closed they set in sock
cts in the jaw. Lieut.. Nellers cap
tured a cub bear in the jungle and
turned it over to the 200 at Manila.
He saw specimen of the diminutiye
mouse deer, which stands about
foot high and sought to buy 1t from
its native owner. but failed because
the Malay feared all his family would
cry if it We're sold
One great difficulty in hunting in
Sumatra IL the intense heat of the
Jungle and the hcrdes of leeches
which come out to attack the hunt
ers during the wet season. These
insects are about half the size of an
ordinary match and manage to get
to ones skin through the thickest
protection. The leeches suck the
blood of the human. the red fluid
initiating the insects so they resemble
small sausages. The natives scrape
them off their legs with hunting
knives.
Beyond the unpleasant knowledge
of having them on you. DR.. kellers
said the leecheS do no harm.
There is only one relief from the
heat and that is the delicious,y cool
water that comes from the bamboo
The bamboo is broken at the joint,
and DR. Kellers and his native crew
uuaffed i'm this novel way.
Friday is the chief worship day of
the Malay natives of Sumatra and
of the .Iavanese. both being Moham-
medans Mount Kaba holds a strik-
ing fascination for the Sumatrans.
despite the fact that 1t is H young
volcano and very active, and. In DR..
Kellers' opinion, may overflow I'm
time. There are frequent earth tre-
mors in Sumatra. and the natives at
tribute all these disturbances to
Mount kaba. While engaged on the
reef one day. DR. kellers and his ma
tive crew felt slight earthquake.
The days labors In the waters were
fruit'ess, all the fish having imme-
diately departed to other parts of
the ocean.
The natives as a whole believe In
the spirits of life, not only OF ami.
mate. but also of inanimate objects.