Note 17 — Decade Fourth

In a brief description of the Philippine Islands which occurs in a geographical work by the Chinese writer Chao-Yu-Kua (who flourished in the thirteenth century)—which account will appear later in this series—is an interesting mention of “nests” built in trees by the Aetas or Negritos, who live therein in single families. Professor Friedrich Ratzel (History of Mankind, Butler’s translation, London and New York, 1896) says (i, p. 111) that the Battaks in Sumatra, and many Melanesians lived in trees; and on p. 422, he says: “Among the Battaks safe dwelling-places are also found at the point where a tree-stem forks or throws off branches; the central shoot is lopped off, and the surrounding branches remain.” Continuing he speaks of the huts built by the Ilongotes of Luzón on tree stems, which are made from leaves of the nipa-palm and bamboo. “The Orang-Sakei and the Lubus of Sumatra also live to some extent in trees” (p. 423). There are also tree-dwellers in Africa and India.