Timor island. 403 



which offers considerable resistance to pressure. Internally 

 they consist of a clear semi-fluid substance in which 

 numerous sperms are contained. The latter are aggregated 

 into bundles, each of which consists of a considerable 

 number of sperms arranged parallel to one another, and 

 having about the distal third of their tails closely united 

 together. 



8.— A PROPOSAL FOR A SCIENTIFIC EXPLORA- 

 TION OF THE ISLAND OF TIMOR. 



By Lt.-Colonel LEGGE, F.Z.S., &c. 



In bringing before the Members of the Association a pro- 

 posal for an exploration of Timor, I am aware that 1 am 

 advocating the undertaking of work on known ground ; and 

 it may be asked, what is there of interest in this island 

 compared with the grand territory of New Guinea, with its 

 immense forests and lofty mountains, the home of the Bird 

 of Paradise, and the cradle of mineral wealth ? I answer, 

 the exploration of New Guinea needs no advocating owing 

 to the keen interest taken in the country of late years by 

 Australians. A thorough carrying out of such work will no 

 doubt be a very difficult matter, owing to the vast size of the 

 island, the impassability of the Papuan forests, and the 

 unhealthiness of its littoral climate ; but, nevertheless, as 

 New Guinea is now an offshoot of Austraha, its exploration 

 is merely a matter of time, and our present knowledge of its 

 zoological products will be materially increased within the 

 next quarter of a century. Much has already been done in 

 this direction by Messrs. Wallace and Salvadori, Drs. Fuisch 

 and Meyer, and more recently by Australian naturalists, and 

 in a country so interesting there will be no lack of effort and 

 enterprise to add to our knowledge already acquired as 

 regards both botany and zoology. 



The island of Timor, however, offers a comparatively easy 

 field for the naturalist and explorer. It has a fair climate, 

 the Timorese are a peaceable people, the lowlands of the 

 interior are considerably under cereal cultivation, the higher 

 mountains are barren, and the country is chiefly under 

 Portuguese and Dutch rule, all of which conditions render 

 the zoological traveller's work far easier than in New 

 Guinea. To the Australian naturalist Timor presents 

 especial points of interest. The character of its vegetation 



