256 Celebes. 



nothing absolutely i^eculiar to this elevation. Birds and quad- 

 rupeds were less plentiful, but of the same species. In insects 

 there seemed to be more difference. The curious beetles of 

 the family Clerida?, which are found chiefly on bark and rotten 

 wood, were finer than I have seen them elsewhere. The beau- 

 tiful Longicorns were scarcer than usual, and the few butter- 

 flies were all of tropical species. One of these, Pajjilio blumei, 

 of which I obtained a few specimens only, is among the most 

 magnificent I have ever seen. It is a green and gold swallow- 

 tail, Avith azure-blue spoon-shaped tails, and was often seen fly- 

 ing about the village Avhen the sun shone, but in a very shat- 

 tered condition. The great amount of wet and cloudy weath- 

 er was a great drawback all the time I was at Rurukan. 



Even in the vegetation there is very little to indicate ele- 

 vation. The trees are more covered with lichens and mosses, 

 and the ferns and tree-ferns are finer and more luxuriant than 

 I had been accustomed to see them on the low grounds, both 

 l^robably attributable to the almost perpetual moisture that 

 here prevails. Abundance of a tasteless raspberry, with 

 blue and yeUow Compositse, have somewhat of a temperate 

 aspect, and minute ferns and Orchide£e, with dwarf Begonias 

 on the rocks, make some approach to a sub-alpine vegetation. 

 The forest, however, is most luxuriant. Noble palms, Pandani, 

 and tree-fei-ns are abundant in it, while the forest-trees are 

 completely festooned with Orchideae, Bromelidelice, Araceae, 

 Lycopodiums, and mosses. The ordinary stemless ferns 

 abound ; some with gigantic fronds ten or twelve feet long, 

 others barely an inch high ; some with entire and massive 

 leaves, others elegantly waving their finely-cut foliage, and add- 

 ing endless variety and interest to the forest paths. The cocoa- 

 nut jDalm still produces fruit abundantly, but is said to be de- 

 ficient in oil. Oranges thrive better than below, producing 

 abundance of delicious fruit ; but the shaddock or pumplemous 

 (Citrus decumana) requires the full force of a tropical sun, 

 for it will not thrive even at Tondano, a thousand feet lower. On 

 the hilly slopes rice is cultivated largely, and ripens well, al- 

 though the temperature rarely or never rises to 80°, so that one 

 would think it might be grown even in England in fine sum- 

 mers, especially if the young plants were raised under glass. 



The mountains have an unusual quantity of earth or vege- 



