CAPE RIVERS. 367 



to assume every conceivable modification of montrous form. 

 One species had a yellow body, green thorax, and wings 

 nearly opaque; another had golden-brown wings, and a 

 shining coal-black body. Under the shade of the Casu- 

 arina-trees, and burrowing in the ground, was a hand- 

 some Gymnopleurus, a remarkable looking insect of a 

 black colour, and like all the insects of that family, pos- 

 sessed of enormous strength. To this may be added, a 

 species of Popilia, closely allied to the P. cyanea of Hope, 

 but most probably a new species ; of a bright polished- 

 steel blue, inclining to deep purple, viewed in certain 

 lights; and, in the same locality, under leaves on the 

 ground, was detected a handsome, polished black Passalus. 

 At Cape Rivers in the Straits of Macassar, were seen 

 the star-like tentacles of the Tubipora musica, of a pale 

 delicate white, striped with light blue, expanded in 

 large masses ; the red Pinnatula, lying dead upon the 

 beach, with the pellucid plates of the beautiful Velella 

 and fragile Porpita ; the elegant jointed Isis, throwing 

 its branches in every direction, among large beds of other 

 corals, and various madrepores strewing the margins of 

 the pools. The large and ugly " biche de mer " (Holo- 

 thuria tremula), lay extended on the sandy patches, and, 

 to every stone, the sea anemonies, with their brilliant 

 tentacles, were exploring the warm^ shallow waters for 

 their food. The dark and slug-like bodies of Parmopkori, 

 and the crawling forms of Stomatetta, were seen moving 

 and sliding among the coral beds, while scarce a stone 

 was turned, without observing Chitonetti crawling on the 

 under surface. In every part where solid rock was seen, 

 the bright, blue branchiae of Tridacnce were visible in 



