THE ROMANCE OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



who has had a greater personal acquaintance 

 than any other man of science, with the Lepi- 

 doptera of the very richest regions of the globe 

 — Brazil, and the Indian Isles, — announced by 

 letter the discovery and capture of a still more 

 magnificent species. Having arrived at Batchian, 

 one of the isles of the eastern part of the Archi- 

 pelago, on an entomological exploration, he pres- 

 ently caught sight of a grand new Ornithoptera, 

 which, though the specimen was a female, and 

 escaped capture, gave promise for the future. At 

 last the expected capture was made, and Mr. 

 Wallace thus records his emotions on the occasion ; 

 — emotions, it must be remembered, of no tyro, 

 but of a veteran insect-hunter. 



"I had determined to leave here about this time, 

 but two circumstances decided me to prolong 

 my stay: first, I succeeded at last in taking the 

 magnificent new Ornithoptera, and, secondly, I 

 obtained positive information of the existence here 

 of a second species of Pararfisea, apparently more 

 beautiful and curious than the one I have ob- 

 tained. You may, perhaps, imagine my excite- 

 ment when, after seeing only two or three times 

 in three months, I at length took a male Orni- 

 thoptera. When I took it out of my net, and 

 opened its gorgeous wings, I was nearer fainting 

 with delight and excitement than I have ever been 

 in my life; my breast beat violently, and the 

 blood rushed to my head, leaving a headache for 

 the rest of the day. The insect surpassed my ex- 

 pectations, being, though allied to Priamus, per- 

 fectly new, distinct, and of a most gorgeous and 

 unique colour ; it is a fiery, golden orange, chang- 

 ing, when viewed obliquely, to opaline-yellow and 

 green. It is, 1 think, the finest of the Omithop- 

 terse, and, consequently, the finest butterfly in the 

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