Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
birds must roam about a good deal in search of food. Here then we seem to have a case, in
which the habits of a bird may be directly traced to its exceptional organization; for it will
hardly be maintained that this abnormal structure and peculiar food were given to the Mega-
podidæ, in order that they might not exhibit that parental affection, or possess those domest-
ic instincts so general in the Class of birds, and which so much excite our admiration.
It has generally been the custom of writers on Natural History, to take the habits and in-
stincts of animals as fixed points, and to consider their structure and organization as spe-
cially adapted to be in accordance with these. This assumption is however an arbitrary one,
and has the bad effect of stifling inquiry into the nature and causes of 'instincts and habits,'
treating them as directly due to a 'first cause,' and therefore incomprehensible to us. I be-
lieve that a careful consideration of the structure of a species, and of the peculiar physical
and organic conditions by which it is surrounded, or has been surrounded in past ages, will
often, as in this case, throw much light on the origin of its habits and instincts. These again,
combined with changes in external conditions, react upon structure, and by means of 'vari-
ation' and 'natural selection' both are kept in harmony.
My friends remained three days, and got plenty of wild pigs and two Anóas, but the latter
were much injured by the dogs, and I could only preserve the heads. A grand hunt which we
attempted on the third day failed, owing to bad management in driving in the game, and we
waited for five hours perched on platforms in trees without getting a shot, although we had
been assured that pigs, Babirúsas, and Anóas would rush past us in dozens. I myself, with
two men, stayed three days longer to get more specimens of the Maleos, and succeeded in
preserving twenty-six very fine ones; the flesh and eggs of which supplied us with abund-
ance of good food.
The Major sent a boat, as he had promised, to take home my baggage, while I walked
through the forest with my two boys and a guide, about fourteen miles. For the first half of
the distance there was no path, and we had often to cut our way through tangled rattans or
thickets of bamboo. In some of our turnings to find the most practicable route I expressed
my fear that we were losing our way, as the sun being vertical I could see no possible clue to
the right direction. My conductors, however, laughed at the idea, which they seemed to con-
sider quite ludicrous; and sure enough, about half way, we suddenly encountered a little hut
where people from Licoupang came to hunt and smoke wild pigs. My guide told me he had
never before traversed the forest between these two points; and this is what is considered by
some travellers as one of the savage 'instincts,' whereas it is merely the result of wide gen-
eral knowledge. The man knew the topography of the whole district; the slope of the land,
the direction of the streams, the belts of bamboo or rattan, and many other indications of
