406 Natural History 



grand insects are to be found. Here are three of the very 

 finest Ornithopterse — Priamus, Helena, and liemus ; three of 

 the handsomest and largest Papilios — Ulysses, Deiphobus, 

 and Gambrisius; one of the handsomest Pieridae — Iphias 

 leucippe; the largest of the Danaidse — Hestiaidea; and two 

 unusually large and handsome Nymphalidae — Diadema pan- 

 darus and Charaxese uryalus. Among its beetles are the ex- 

 traordinary Euchirus longimanus, whose enormous legs spread 

 over a space of eight inches, and an unusual number of 

 large and handsome longicorns, Anthribidse, and Buprestida3. 



The beetles figured on the plate as characteristic of the 

 Moluccas are : 1. A small specimen of the Euchirus longi- 

 manus, or long-armed chafer, which has been already men- 

 tioned in the account of my residence at Amboyna (Chapter 

 XX.). The female has the fore legs of moderate length. 2. 

 A fine weevil (an undesci-ibed species of Eupholus), of rich 

 blue and emerald green colors, banded with black. It is a 

 native of Ceram and Goram, and is found on foliage. 3. A 

 female of Xenocerus semiluctuosus, one of the Anthribidae, of 

 delicate silky white and black colors. It is abundant on 

 fallen trunks and stumps in Ceram and Amboyna. 4. An un- 

 described species of Xenocerus ; a male with very long and 

 curious antennae, and elegant black and white markings. It 

 is found on fallen trunks in Batchian. 5. An undescribed 

 species of Arachnobas, a curious genus of weevils peculiar 

 to the Moluccas and New Guinea, and remarkable for their 

 long legs, and their habit of often sitting on leaves, and turn- 

 ing rapidly round the edge to the under surface when disturb- 

 ed. It was found in Gilolo. All these insects are represent- 

 ed of the natui-al size. 



Like the birds, the insects of the Moluccas show a decided 

 affinity with those of New Guinea rather than with the pro- 

 ductions of the great western islands of the Ai-chipelago, but 

 the difference in form and structure between the productions 

 of the east and west is not nearly so marked here as in birds. 

 This is probably due to the more immediate dependence of 

 insects on climate and vegetation, and the greater facilities 

 for their distribution in the varied stages of egg, puj^a, and 

 perfect insect. This has led to a general uniformity in the 

 insect-life of the whole Archipelago, in accordance with the 



