OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 39 



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species ; these, as well as many jars full of echinodermata, 

 annelida, polyzoa, &c, in endless variety, were collected on the 

 reefs at low water, or dredged for at various depths, along the 

 north-east coast of Australia, and in Torres Straits, whenever 

 opportunity offered. But nowhere was the yield so good as at 

 Darnley Island. During a few days dredging there we got more 

 line shells and annelids than at all the other places taken together. 

 The collection of land shells also, chiefly from New Guinea, com- 

 prises many new species of Helix, &c. I cannot, I regret to say, 

 give you at present more detailed information in regard to these 

 testacean mollusks. When Mr. Brazier arrives he will be able to 

 furnish the fullest information on the subject to all those curious 

 in such matters. 



The collection of " Articulata" I look upon as extremely valu- 

 able. The insects were chiefly collected at Cape York, Darnley 

 Island, and New Guinea, and in all these places there was a 

 general resemblance to the Polynesian fauna, and an extraor- 

 dinary absence of the usual Australian forms. The diurnal 

 lepidoptera were numerous, and in great variety. Omithoptera 

 pronomus was common at Cape York, and 0. Poseidon at Darnley 

 Island and Hall Sound. The coleoptera were, upon the whole, 

 rare, and difficult to get, though we managed to scrape together 

 several thousand specimens. Longicornia and Curculionidoz were 

 the most abundant. Of Lamellicornia, Phytophaga, Buprestidce, 

 &c,, there were few, and the almost entire absence of the carni- 

 vorous ground beetles was most remarkable. There are, however, 

 many new species among the insects of all orders, and some of 

 great size and beauty. Mr. Spalding cut out of one tree at Hall 

 Sound a dozen specimens of Batocera Wallacei — an insect of great 

 rarity. The collection of Arachnida was also srood. 



Crustacea were got in great numbers and variety on the reefs, 

 in dead coral and in the dredge. 



Altogether I have succeeded in getting together a vast and 

 valuable collection — a collection which, considering the short 

 time at my disposal, seems wonderful, and which affords undoubted 

 proof of the industry and zeal of my staff of collectors. For, it 

 must be remembered that, though the full time of my intended 



