Biographical Memoir of the late Henry Kiihl. 15 



wood of which covers the interior of the island, and the Tourne^ 

 fortia argentea, which margins the cocoa-wood, with its dark 

 green foHage. Innumerable bands of aquatic birds inhabit 

 these desert shores, and so fearless were they, that many of 

 them were caught by the hands, or killed with sticks. Amid all 

 this profusion, however, there were but very few different spe- 

 cies. 



They first landed in Java at the Promontory of Banta, and 

 after being a short time on shore, returned to their ships, load- 

 ed with corals and moUusca. The labours and inconveniences 

 of their voyage were amply compensated by the kindness with 

 which they were received, and the liberality with which they 

 were treated, by his Excellency the Governor of the Island. 

 He permitted them to live at Buitenzorg, in order to become 

 more readily accustomed to an Indian chmate, from the salu- 

 brity of the air in that place. The first four months they pas- 

 sed near Buitenzorg without interruption ; for since they daily 

 found an abundant supply of new objects for investigation, it 

 would have been useless to extend their excursions, and seek at 

 a distance what they could obtain at hand. Not a day passed 

 without their naming, describing, and drawing some new spe- 

 cies or genera, or even orders. In this manner they prepared 

 a Conspectus of the Flora and Fauna of Java, taking care not 

 to waste their time in delineating what had already been de- 

 scribed by Reinwardts. On which account they made out an 

 index of all the drawings which he had made, inspected his 

 Herbarium, and received many of the names which he had im- 

 posed. In the course of these four months which they occu- 

 pied in collecting natural objects, they had done so much, that, 

 by the 10th of August, they were able to write home to the mi- 

 nister, " that their labours regarding some of the objects of in- 

 vestigation in this country were now finished, and that among 

 these might be enumerated the Cheiroptera, Ophidia, Sauria, 

 Birds, Fishes, and MoUusca." At this time they were of opi- 

 nion, that, with regard to the Buitenzorg Fauna, they were as 

 well acquainted with the animals of this district, as with those 

 of any country in Europe. Having made this foundation, they 

 proposed making a journey to Banta, a less known part of the 

 island, when the cholera made its appearance, and frustrated 



