1902.] 199 



largest and loftiest of the New Hebrides, and in the evening anchored 

 off the mouth of a considerable fresh-water stream, marked on the 

 chart as the Renee River. 



We remained at this anchorage until August 4th, and our stay 

 here was decidedly the most pleasant and successful time J spent in 

 the New Hebrides. The river was navigable by large boats for about 

 two miles, and then narrowed into a clear rapid stream, running over 

 a rocky bed, with deep pools tenanted by inquisitive little fish, at 

 frequent intervals, and overhung by the most beautiful and luxuriant 

 vegetation. In the forest there were very few paths or clearings, but 

 the bed of the stream formed an excellent, if not very easy collecting- 

 ground, at any rate for butterflies. These were tolerably plentiful, 

 and consisted mostly of about four species of Euploea, Danais 

 modem t a and D. ficbridina, Messaras, Doleschnllia, a few Li/ccenidee, 

 etc. In addition to these, a very fine and handsome species of 

 Partfienos was fairly common, but not easy to obtain in good order, 

 and I caught two or three specimens of the white-banded black 

 Pupilio Hypsicles, Hew. — allied to my old acquaintance, P. Canopus, 

 Westvv., of North-west Australia — out of a good many individuals 

 seen. A few interesting fresh forms of Coleoptertr turned up, and 

 land-shells, mostly of the curious genus Diplomorphu, almost peculiar 

 to the New Hebrides, were not rare in the forest. Halooates could 

 be caught in plenty from the ship's side on calm days, and a very 

 large white-banded dark grey moth with tailed hind-wings (N~i/ eta fern on 

 sp.) frequently came off from the shore at dusk. Our sportsmen met 

 with little success, as the forest here, as in all the other parts of the 

 New Hebrides visited by us, was exceedingly poor in all the higher 

 forms of animal life. Three or four species of rats and mice are the 

 only land Mammalia indigenous to the Islands, besides which there are 

 several species of bats ; of these latter the large fruit-eating 

 " Flying Foxes " (Pteropus sp.) are very abundant, and do a good 

 deal of damage to the banana plantations. Despite their rank odour 

 and ugly, almost diabolical appearance, these creatures are sometimes 

 eaten by the French settlers. Lizards are tolerably numerous, and 

 snakes of two or three species, reputed to be venomous, are said to be 

 met with in the forest, but they must be scarce, as T never either saw 

 or was able to procure one. At the Renee River parrots were 

 plentiful enough, as well as a large and handsome fruit-pigeon (Carpo- 

 p huff ft oceanica), but the height of the trees which they frequented 

 made it very difficult to shoot them. Fish were apparently abun- 

 dant, but as they refused every bait we could offer them, they could 



R 2 



