Exotic wildlife, lush forests and winding rivers have long been trademarks of the Malaysian forest. These qualities are clearly evident in The Field Book of A Jungle - Wallah by Charles Hose, one of Charles Brooke's (the second Rajah of Sarawak) officers. Written in simple style yet laced with humour and understanding, The Field Book brings us to a world of native customs, beautiful landscapes and strange species.

The majestic hornbill, one of the many species highlighted in the book, is a unique feature of the Sarawak forest. Steeped in mythology and coveted for its unusual feathers, the hornbill symbolises the splendour and timelessness of the Sarawak forest. Above is an excerpt on the unique nesting habit of the elegant hornbill.

The nesting habits of the Hornbills are most interesting. All the species build their home, for protection, in a hollow tree, communication with the outer world being by means of a slit of hole. If this opening is not at the right elevation above the floor of the nest the birds fill up the interior with leaves and twigs until it is of the right height for the mother-bird to be able to sit comfortably on her eggs with her beak protruding so as to receive food. This having being arranged satisfactorily, the hen bird sreads a thin layer of feathers plucked from her own body on the built up floor, and is then completely walled up by the male, who plasters over the opening with a sort of gummy substance which he secretes in his stomach; this substance hardens on exposure to the air and shuts in the female until her beak alone shows. In this uncomfortable position she remains a prisoner until her nestlings are from two to three weeks old, the male feeding her meanwhile with insects, fruits, seeds, and parts of frogs and lizards, all rolled up into sort of pellet, which he throws into the expectant beak of his mate.

When feeding the female, the cock bird clings to the bark of the tree, or else perches on a convenient branch, and jerks the food into his mate's beak. There were instances where, the male-bird having been shot by hunters, other males came and supported the 'widow'. While the feeding and imprisonment process is going on, several seeds naturally are not caught by the hen, and falling to the ground germinate; by observing the growth of these, the natives can infer the age of the young birds without seeing them.

When the time comes for the young birds to leave the nest, the mother-bird breaks away the plaster with her powerful beak, after which the opening is again sealed and both parents devote themselves to the fedding of the family. While the young are helpless, however, the sealing up of the mother is an excellent protection against snakes, monkeys, and many tree-haunting carnivores. A pair of Hornbills will use the same tree and nest year after year, which is not to be wondered at when one considers the difficulty of finding a suitable site and the trouble which has already been taken in building the nest.


The Field-Book Of A Jungle - Wallah
Author: Charles Hose

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