“But the worst of all omens is a dead beast of any kind, especially those included in the omen list, found anywhere on the farm. It infuses a deadly poison into the whole crop, and will kill some one or other of the owner’s family within a year. When this terrible thing happens they test the omen by killing a pig, and divining from the appearance of the liver immediately after death. If the prediction of the omen be strengthened, all the rice grown on that ground must be sold; and, if necessary, other rice bought for their own consumption. Other people may eat it, for the omen only affects those at whom it is directly pointed. A swarm of bees lighting on the farm is an equally dreadful matter.”
THE OMEN ANIMALS OF SARAWAK
| Scientific Name. | Kayan. | Kenyah. | Punan. | Iban. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cervulus muntjac | Telaau | Telauoh | Telauoh | Kijang |
| Tragulus napu | Planok | Planok | Planok | Pelandok |
| ” javanicus | Planok | Planok | Planok | Kamaya Panas |
| Arctogale leucotis | Munin | Munin | * | * |
| Haliastur intermedius (indus) | Niho | Flaki | Flaki | Senalong Burong |
| Carcineutes melanops | * | Asi | Asi | Membuas |
| Berenicornis comatus | Makong | Kong | Makong | * |
| Harpactes diardi | Upau | Pengolong Bioh | Pengiok | Papau |
| ” kasumba | * | Pengolong Bioh | Pengiok | — |
| ” duvauceli | * | Pengolong Lomit | Pengiok | Beragai |
| Lepocestes porphyromelas | Kieng or Usa Kieng | Kieng or Ratat | Pangkas or Kotok, or rarely Jaloh | |
| Sasia abnormis | * | Ukang | Bukang | Katupong |
| Cittocincla suavis | * | * | * | Nendak |
| Orthotomus cineraceus | * | * | * | Briak |
| Platylophus coronatus | Pajan | Telajan | Telajan | Bejampong or Kajampong |
| Arachnothera longirostris | Isit | Isit or Sit | Sit | Enkrasak |
| ” modesta | Isit | Sit Asa | Sit | Enkrasak |
| ” chrysogenys | Isit | Sit Asa | Sit | Enkrasak |
| (Anthreptes malaccensis) | Isit | * | * | * |
| Coluber melanurus | — | Kusai | * | * |
| Simotes octolineatus | Batang Lima | * | * | * |
| Doliophis bivirgatus (flaviceps) | — | Semoi | * | * |
| ” intestinalis | — | Nawan | * | * |
| Lachesis wagleri | — | Laun Nangur | * | * |
| Gryllacris nigrilabris | * | * | * | Malam or Kundin |
| Chrysocoris eques | — | Turok Parai | — | — |
| Melipona vidua | * | * | * | Manyi |
In the above table a blank space indicates that I am uncertain whether that people use the particular omen animal; the * means that it is not employed.
Omen animals are called aman by the Kayan, Kenyan, and Punan, and burong by the Iban.
For the convenience of those who would like more precise information about these animals I give a table showing their position in zoological classification.
| MAMMALIA | ||||
| Ungulata | Artiodactyla | Tragulina | Tragulidæ | Tragulus |
| ” | ” | Pecora | Cervidæ | Cervulus |
| Carnivora | Carnivora vera | Æluroidea | Viverridæ | Arctogale |
| AVES | ||||
| Falconiformes | Accipitres | Falconidæ | — | Haliastur |
| Coraciiformes | Coraciæ | Alcedinidæ | Halcyoninæ | Carcineutes |
| ” | ” | Bucerotidæ | — | Berenicornis |
| ” | Trogones | Trogonidæ | — | Harpactes |
| — | Pici | Picidæ | Picinæ | Lepocestes |
| — | ” | ” | Picumninæ | Sasia |
| Passeriformes | Oscines | Turdidæ | Turdinæ | Cittocincla |
| ” | ” | ” | Sylviinæ | Orthotomus |
| ” | ” | Laniidæ | — | Platylophus |
| ” | ” | Nectariniidæ | — | Arachnothera |
| ” | ” | ” | — | Anthreptes |
| REPTILIA | ||||
| Ophidia | Colubridæ | Aglypha | Colubrinæ | Coluber |
| ” | ” | ” | ” | Simotes |
| ” | ” | Proteroglypha | Elapinæ | Doliophis |
| ” | Viperidæ | — | Crotalinæ | Lachesis |
| INSECTA | ||||
| Orthoptera | Locustodea | Gryllacridæ | — | Gryllacris |
| Hemiptera | — | Scutelleridæ | — | Chrysocoris |
| Hymenoptera | Petiolata | Apidæ | — | Melipona |
The “barking deer” (Cervulus muntjac) is very important as an omen to all peoples, but least so to the Iban. The bark of the deer prevents people from continuing their journey, and even divorces people who are newly married.