430 Lieut.-Colonel N. Manders on the 
known to English entomologists, I may perhaps give a few 
details, which may not prove uninteresting, regarding their 
physical characteristics in which they differ very materially. 
Mauritius is about the size of the county of Dorset, being 
about thirty-six miles from north to south and almost 
the same from east to west. It is comparatively flat, the 
large plateau known as Plain Wilhems at the approximate 
elevation of 700 feet, occupying the whole central portion 
of the island, and gradually spreading outwards towards 
the north at a decreasing elevation. The whole of this 
plain was covered with forest at the beginning of the last 
century, so thick in parts that on one occasion the 
Governor of the island and his party were lost for four 
days before making their exit. Now the forest has entirely 
disappeared, its place being taken by sugar-cane, which is 
of not much interest to an entomologist. The hills, which 
nowhere exceed 2,300 feet in elevation, are of volcanic 
origin, and mostly the remains of the walls of extinct 
craters. Their sides are consequently steep, frequently 
precipitous, and are usually covered with jungle, portions 
of it no doubt being the remains of the original forest. 
The only extensive tract of the primeval forest remaining 
is in the south-west portion of the island ; this covers the 
sides and summits of the hills overlooking the sea, and 
spreads northwards to join the central plain in the neigh- 
bourhood of Curepipe, 1,800 feet, becoming more open and 
of smaller growth as it approaches the more inhabited 
districts. It is difficult of access and disappointingly un- 
productive. I have found no butterflies peculiar to it, 
and in fact butterflies are very distinctly scarce init. For 
a considerable portion of the year it is subject to deluges 
of rain, the ground becomes water-logged, and immediately 
off the few narrow paths increasingly difficult or impassable. 
It is interesting, profoundly so, to a naturalist, as it is the 
final refuge of the few remaining indigenous birds. The 
climate varies, but is usually considered to be six months cool 
and dry from June to November, and hot and moist from 
December to May. Unlike Bourbon, Mauritius is entirely 
surrounded by a coral reef, which at places comes within 
a few hundred yards of the shore, at others is two or even 
three miles out. It is a paradise for the marine zoologist, 
and for those with no natural history tendencies, its calm 
seas, transparent water, and lovely bays with their glorious 
sands, can scarcely be surpassed for exquisite beauty in 
