226 THE MOLUCCAS. [chap. 



Dutch at Ternate show that rain falls on the average on 216 days 

 in the year, and that the mean annual temperature is 80° Fahr., the 

 climate is on the whole said to be a very pleasant one, for, except 

 in the montlis of December and January, the rain for the most part 

 occurs in heavy showers which alternate with liright sunshine. 

 Those who spend their lives under England's gloomy skies can 

 hardly realise the fact that a high rainfall does not necessarily mean 

 an unpleasant climate, and that the British half-inch of rain is 

 attended with more gloom and discomfort than half a foot would 

 be in most tropical climates. "We had several extremely heavy 

 showers during our visit, but no day that was not sunny and 

 bright, and with the constant light sea-breeze the temperature 

 seemed delightful. "VVe made l)ut two excursions worthy of the 

 name ; one to Sidangoli on the coast of Gilolo, where, in company 

 with some of our Dutch friends, we went in pursuit of deer, of 

 which, in spite of their abundance, we failed to shoot a single one ; 

 the other to Tenoto, half-way up the volcano, whence, after an 

 uncomfortable struggle up a steep slope of plantations, we obtained 

 a superb view : — a wonderful panorama of island, strait, and volcano 

 as beautiful in its outline as in the richness of its ever -varying 

 colour. 



"We added but few birds and still fewer insects to our collec- 

 tions, partly owing to our time being occupied in other ways, 

 partly because Ternate is not apparently rich in either. Perhajts 

 one of the most beautiful birds on the island — one at least which 

 would be most likely to catch the traveller's eye — is a Sun-bird 

 (Cinnyris cmrice2:)s) of velvety black plumage, the head metallic 

 emerald, the back and throat of equally brilliant steely blue. This 

 lovely little species haunts flowering shrubs and the crowns of the 

 coco palms, and is inconspicuous enough till its emerald head 

 flashes back a ray of sunlight. A Ijrilliant blue Kingfisher {Halcyon 

 diops) inhabits the island in abundance, the female dift'ering from 

 the male in having a pectoral band of dull cobalt ; but a still more 

 strikingly-coloured Ceyx {G. lepida) — coral-billed, the under surface 



