508 DR. A. GUNTHER ON A ZOOLOGICAL [June '23, 



considering the short time at the disposal of the visitors, and the 

 narrow limits of the portion of the island which was accessible to 

 tlipm, the collection is larger than could have been expected. 



The best thanks of naturalists are due to Capt. Maclear and the 

 other officers of the ship for having undertaken this task in addition 

 to the primary object of their visit. 



Unfortunatelv one of the most interesting portions of the Collection, 

 viz. the Lepidoptera, was destroyed on its way home, some pieces 

 of camphor having become loose and smashed all the specimens with 

 the exception of two. The remainder of the Collection consisted of 

 95 specimens, viz. 4 Mammals, 4 Birds, 4 Reptiles, 12 Crustaceans, 

 4 Arachnids and Myriopods, 27 Insects, 31 IMollusca, 8 Ecliinoderms, 

 and 1 Sponge. Twelve of the species proved to be undescribed, but 

 at present it would be premature to represent them as isolated forms 

 peculiar to the island, because some of tbem may yet be found to 

 occur also in some unexplored portion of the Moluccas. The speci- 

 mens have been deposited in the British Museum, and examined by 

 the staff of the Zoological Department. 



I am indebted to Capt. Wharton for the communication of Capt. 

 Maclear's report and for his kind permission to reproduce here the 

 valuable information contained therein. His observations leave no 

 doubt that a rich harvest might be gathered if a collector should be 

 able to make a longer stay and to reach the interior of the island. 



Report on Christmas Island. By Captain Maclear, 

 of H.M.S. 'Flying-Fish.^ 



Observation spot, the middle of the beach, Flying-Fish Cove, 

 about two miles westward of the north point of the island. 



Lat. 10° 23' 19" S., long. 10.5° 42' 52" E. ; dependent on Batavia. 



Christmas Island is 190 miles from the nearest point of Java, from 

 which it is separated by a depth of 2450 fms. It is formed of coral- 

 limestone, has no fringing reef, but rises abruptly from the sea in 

 cliffs about 30 feet high, very much underworn, and in many places 

 hollowed out in caverns ; the shore is steep ; generally a depth of 

 100 fms. is found at one to two cables from the cliffs. 



In appearance it is somewhat saddle-shaped, rising from a long 

 back in the middle, 700 to 800 feet high, to hills at the north- 

 eastern and at the western sides : the western summit is double, and 

 is the best defined mark; its height is 1580 feet. The shape is 

 irregular quadrilateral; it extends through 12' lat. and about the 

 same in long. 



The island is densely wooded all over except where the cliffs are 

 too steep to allow anything to grow. From the northern side the 

 ascent is gradual to the highest parts ; but on the southern side, after 

 rising gradually for half a mile from the sea-cliffs, a second wall of 

 limestone cliffs is met, estimated at 200 to 300 feet high ; and then 

 slope goes on gently again to the top. 



