208 EXTRACTS OF A LETTER FROM MR. WALLACE. 
sailing over the surface of the shrubs, capturing the small flies and 
other insects, and a small honeysucker, which we could not approach 
near enough to determine accurately. Some of our men found a few 
small shells, two Helices, and a pretty little Cyclostoma. Occasionally 
we got a fine view in one direction, but the rolling masses of cloud pre- 
vented any complete panorama. I could see however sufficient to con- 
firm me in the opinion that in this part of the peninsula there is no 
connected mountain-range, but isolated hills and groups of hills rising 
out of a great forest plain. The Moa river was a beautiful object, but 
the paddy-field valleys before mentioned looked more imposing, ap- 
pearing in the distance like large rivers. 
About ten o’clock we descended, on our way down collecting a few 
of the beautiful Ferns and some of the flowering plants. We had sent 
half of our men off early in the morning to prepare a hut for us at the 
foot of the mountain, where we intended to remain a week. We found 
the descent apparently longer and more tiring than the ascent. The 
day became overcast, a drizzling rain fell, and we saw neither birds nor 
insects to enliven the path. We reached the bottom about three P.M., 
and found our hut erected in a little spot which the men had cleared 
close by the river. We were glad to rest for the remainder of the day. 
We stayed here a week, our men shooting, and we ourselves roaming 
about the jungle and up and down the river collecting. Insects were 
tolerably abundant, and I obtained numbers of new and remarkable 
species. Little dragon-flies of the most exquisite hues were to be 
found along the brook side, while on the surface of the water were 
* water boatmen" and “ water scorpions,” and a very handsome whirly- 
. wig beetle, the Porrorhynchus marginatus, Castl., allied to our little 
Gyrinus natator, but three times as large, of a yellowish colour, long 
. snouted, and spined behind. 
Among the curious things to be observed here was the singular co- 
Jour of some of the leaves in the jungle. Some Ferns and Lycopodiums 
and some other plants growing near the ground were of a shining me- 
tallic blue colour, as if tinged by some gaseous exhalation. The same 
plant in other places I have observed of an ordinary green, so that it is 
due to something in the soil or atmosphere of the locality. We were 
mot fortunate enough to see any large animals. Wild cattle abound 
here, but we saw only their footsteps; our men however declared one 
day they had seen a rhinoceros. We heard the fine Argus pheasants 
