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we passed witbin sight of the large island of Sokotra on the 10th, but 

 not near enough to obtain a satisfactory view : very little oceanic life 

 observed, except flying-fish of small size, these, as well as all other 

 living creatures, being much scarcer than in corresponding latitudes 

 in the Pacific. I think we were all glad enough to reach Colombo on 

 the morning of the 20th ; at all events I can answer for myself. 

 After the miserably barren places at which we had recently stopped, 

 it was most refreshing to see so much magnificent tropical vegetation, 

 in which the town is almost hidden ; the cocoa-nut palm appears 

 especially to thrive, the shore being lined with it as far as can be seen 

 in both directions. The forenoon being fine and hot, quite a number 

 of butterflies came ofE and flew about the ship, but they were very 

 wild and difficult to approach : among them I recognised several speci- 

 mens of the fine black and yellow Oriiitlio])tera Pompeius (all ^J), but 

 secured only one, in bad order ; and also saw Papilio Sarpedon, P. 

 Pammon, P. Diphilus, and P. Polymnestor, Messaras JErymanthis, &c. 

 Landing at 1.30 p.m., I spent the afternoon in driving about the 

 suburbs of the town with the doctor : we went out several miles, along 

 well kept roads, with plenty of fine trees on either side, but not a single 

 really wild place could 1 find, although I often got down and tried likely 

 side paths, iiothing but bungalows, gardens, native huts, and cinnamon 

 plantations ; the latter plant looks not unlike a rhododendron, minus 

 the flowers, ajid the traditional fragrance of these groves is a myth, 

 as it is not perceptible at all until the leaves or young shoots are 

 bruised, when it is evident enough. I managed to fill my helmet with 

 a miscellaneous assortment of insects, though the butterflies, especially 

 Papilio, were as wild and shy as I have ever seen them : I secured five 

 specimens of P. dissimilis and P. Diphilus, and saw P. Hector and one 

 or two others ; also took Danais Chrysippus and D. GenuHa, Acrcea sp., 

 Callidryas, Terias, Lyccena (the European L. Lysimon being not un- 

 common in grassy places), &c. A little Mycalesis, with the outer half 

 of the hind-wings white, was not rare, flitting about close to the ground 

 in shady bushy spots, and was the only butterfly that was at all easy 

 to take. Of Coleopfera, I could find at first only Ateuchiis (nice 

 species, punctured all over), Gymnopleuriis, and Ontliopliagiis, about 

 stercore ; but I subsequently came across a fallen tree, under the bark 

 of which I found three fine species of Ilisteridce (allied to Platysoma 

 and Abrceus), a fine thing near Cucujus, two species of Brenthidce 

 (small), various Staphs., &c. I noticed some promising-looking sheets 

 of fresh water, covered with aquatic plants, but they were too much 

 resorted to by the natives for bathing, washing clothes, &c., and I 



