248 TWO YEAES IN" THE JUNGLE. 



■washed tliorouglaly. "VMien the sjDecimens have been cleaned, they 

 must be immersed for thirty hours in proof spirits, after which 

 they may be put out in a shady place to dry. It is a curious fact 

 that all the echini of Ceylon and Malayana lose their spines unless 

 soaked in spirits before drying, whereas those of the Red Sea, the 

 Mediterranean, and the West Indies can be dried without soaking, 

 and the spines will not fall off. 



In a very short time nearly a dozen natives were at work col- 

 lecting for me and I had my hands full in caring for what they 

 captured and brought in. My instructions from Professor Ward 

 were very simple, but widely comprehensive. "Plunder Ceylon. 

 Rake the island over as with a fine-toothed comb ; catch every- 

 thing you can in three months time, and send me the best of it." 



During my first three weeks in Colombo I reaped a rich hai'vest 

 of fishes, reptiles, crustaceans, and shells, some of which I pre- 

 served in sjDirits while the rest were dried. To give an idea of the 

 richness of Colombo as a collecting ground I will copy from my 

 journal a list of what was brought to me in one day. 



3 Soft-slielled turtles {Emyda Ceylonensis). 



1 Tortoise {Emys trijuga). 

 31 Crabs {Matuta victor). 



6 Painted crabs (Graspus strigosus). 

 12 Alabaster crabs {Ocypode ceratopthalmus). 

 15 Sea cockroaches {^Benipes sp.). 

 12 Greeu lizards (Calotes versicolor). 



4 Lizards {Calotes nigrUabris), 



2 Bats ( Vespertilio). 



9 Jumping fish (Salarius alticus). 

 1 Horned skate {Dkerobatia eregoodoo). 

 6 Fishes of various species. 

 4 Prawns (Peneus). 

 100 shells, more or less, of many species. 



This represents a fair day's work. The next one brought me in 

 snakes of various kinds, frogs, fishes, and invertebrates, making a 

 list quite different from that given above. When the more com- 

 mon species of animals had been gathered in, I used to stimulate 

 my collectors by offering a reward for the first specimen of any 

 desirable kind not already obtained, and in this way my motley 

 crew was induced to search the fields, the sea-shore, and the fresh- 

 water ponds high and low. I have never anywhere else had native 

 collectors who were so active and diligent in the field when left to 



