Abstract
From August 5 to 24 in 1969, I made a small expedition in company with Mr. Tanaka, Professor of Yamate Women's College who collected butterflies. As I collected or observed 53 species of birds near Mt. Kinabalu, I am going to inform the results of my trip.
Expecting to get lowland species, submontane species and shore species, headquarters in Borneo were
1. From Aug. 8 to 13 in Kota Belud.
2. From Aug. 14 to 16 in Kundasang.
3. From Aug. 17 to 23 in Papar.
1. Pandasan, about half an hour's distance from Kota Belud by jeep, is one of the best places to observe and to collect birds. There were lovely woods and streams, and the number and species of birds abundant.
There were many Doves and Pigeons, Bulbuls, Drongos, Leafbirds, Kingfishers, Flowerpeckers, Sunbirds, Flycatchers, Cuckoos, and etc.
2. Kundasang, at the halfway of Mt. Kinabalu, is a cool and comfortable place being about 5000 feet above sea level. I heard that this area was one of the best places to observe submontane species of birds.
But so far as this season was concerned, the number of birds was rather few. I could collect some submontane species though.
3. Papar, near seashore, is situated about 15 miles south from Kota Kinabalu, and is the place having moderate woods and several ponds. In the other seasons large number of Plovers and Snipes are to assemble on this seashore. But in this season only a small number of them were dotted.
Over much of this range birds were found in large numbers, but the species of ones were rather few.
In Papar White collored Kingfishers were conspicuously many, and also various kinds of Sunbirds and White-bellied Swiftlets were many. Tailorbirds and Fantail Flycatchers could be found in large numbers, too.
I went to Java in 1961, Formosa in 1967, and India in 1968 for the purpose of collecting birds. As compared with those areas, I couldn't even catch a glimpse of Barbets and Woodpeckers which I had expected to observe. Of couse Tree Sparrows or House Sparrows were not seen, but I could see a lot of Munias that fed on grains of rice. I could hardly see Ground Thrushes. Drongos were very few. But Cuckoos, White breasted Waterhens, Spotted-necked Doves, and Tailor Birds were seen in large numbers in these areas.
Mr. Tsen, a subcurator of the Sabah Museum, collected White Ground Thrush (Zoothera dauma) in Mantanani island near Borneo during our trip. This Thrush is a new recoad in Borneo. As I brought back this specimen to Japan, I will explain about it later.
I got about 130 birds in Borneo, and some of them were left behind to the Sabah Museum.
Next I am going to discourse upon the species that I brought back to Japan, and the birds whose existence I confirmed only by the observation of them.
During our trip to Borneo, I was offered a great help by the Sabah Museum. Especially Mr. Pike, a curator of the Museum, took pains for the arrangment of our various programs. I am very thankful to him and Museum's staff for the many kindness that given to us. In Japan I was given advice about identification of my collected birds from Mr. Kobayashi. I would like to express my hearty thanks to him too.
