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water, and at long distances from the sea. Fresh 

 water fish, of fine quality and of several sorts, abound 

 in the rivers. 



Turtles are found in these seas, and so also is 

 Beche de mer, which is annually exported to the value 

 of about £3,500. Shell fish, such as lobsters, &c, are 

 common, and delicious prawns are abundant in all 

 the streams and streamlets in these islands. Some 

 beautiful and rare shells inhabit Fijian waters. Among 

 them may be mentioned the orange cowry, which is 

 only found near Nadroga, on the S.W. side of Viti 

 Levu ; oysters are not uncommon, and they attach 

 themselves to the roots of trees, &c, at the edge of the 

 water. Pearl shell is found in small quantities, and 

 in 1877 it was exported to the value of £1,086. Land 

 crabs, some of which are good for eating, are common. 

 One of them, the Ugavule, inhabits some of the 

 smaller islands, Qele Levu and Vatuvara, and is said to 

 climb the cocoa-nut trees, remove the husks from the 

 nuts, break the shells, and eat the flesh ! 



Some kinds of insects, mosquitoes for instance, are 

 common at certain seasons of the year and in some parts 

 -of the group ; and travellers in Fiji should not forget 

 to take mosquitoe nets with them, as well as mats to 

 sleep upon. Flies arc numerous in some localities, and 

 are very annoying. 



Some pretty beetles and butterflies are found in the 

 group, and fireflies light up the woods in the dusk of 

 the evenings. Highly curious and pretty leaf and 

 -tick insects, different kinds of mantis, are by no 

 means rare. The wings of some of them can scarcely 

 be distinguished From real leaves. 



