1902.] 189 



green buds towards the top of a flowering spike as compared with the expanded 

 blossoms below. The separate representations of the green and red forms, how- 

 ever, indicate no difference in size, and experience confirms this conclusion, so that 

 the impression conveyed by the frontispiece plate is erroneous. After further 

 noting that the uniform deep pink colour of the exposed parts of the insects figured 

 was also incorrect, Mr. Hinde remarked that he had never seen the insects grouped 

 according to their colours, but invariably mixed, that he had never found larvae and 

 imagines on the same stem or even together on the same tree or bush, nor did the 

 imagines affect vertical stems, but always those actually or approximately horizontal. 

 It does not by any means follow that Professor Gregory was mistaken in his im- 

 pressions, but it is certain that conditions are common other than those recorded by 

 him. When disturbed the imagines fly, and the larva hops, a short distance in any 

 direction, but soon collect into groups again. The larva? toward the end of a 

 growing branch are the smallest, and this arrangement might possibly reconcile 

 Professor Gregory's account with more recent observations. — H. Rowland-Brown, 

 Hon. Sec. 



ANTIPODEAN FIELD NOTES. 



I.— NEW CALEDONIA, the NEW HEBRIDES, and ADJACENT ISLANDS. 



BY J. J. WALKEK, R.N., F.L.S. 



After a week spent in strict quarantine— my first experience in 

 H.M. service, as I sincerely trust it is my last, of that venerable and 

 much-abused institution — T was able, on June 6th, 1900, to land for 

 the first time at Noumea, New Caledonia. 



The general aspect of this great island, in its southern portion 

 at any rate, is by no means tropical. The first impression is that of a 

 mountainous and fairly verdant, but almost treeless land, such as may 

 be matched on many parts of the coast of old Caledonia. Near the 

 shore, and in the outskirts of Noumea, a few clumps of coco-nut 

 palms and fruit-trees relieve the general monotony, and along the 

 sides of the numerous and well-kept roads Acacias, Poinciana regia, 

 and other shade trees are planted. The steep hills which rise 

 immediately at the back of the town, and on which it is partly built, 

 are covered with coarse grass, clumps of the Agave arnericana, which 

 here grows like a weed and flowers profusely, and a thin scrub, chiefly 

 of Gasuarina and the " Niauli," Melaleuca viridijiora ; this latter 

 being a small straggling tree, rarely exceeding 30 feet in height, the 

 foliage of which yields an aromatic essential oil, very similar in its 

 properties to the well-known "cajeput oil " of the Moluccas. Man- 

 groves are much in evidence on the low swampy ground, which in 

 many place fringes the harbour, and inland the hills merge into bare 

 rugged mountains, 3,000 to 4,000 feet high, rising in Mount 



