40 : . BATCHUN. [cuAP. xxiv. 



and I captured some new and interesting insects ; but as 

 it was getting late I had to reserve a more thorough 

 exploration for future occasions. Coal had been discovered 

 here some years before, and the road was made in order to 

 bring down a sufficient quantity for a fair trial on tlie 

 Dutch steamers. The quality, however, was not thought 

 sufficiently good, and the mines were abandoned. Quite 

 recently, works had been commenced in another spot, in 

 hopes of finding a better vein. There were about eighty 

 men employed, chiefly convicts ; but this was far too 

 small a number for mining operations in such a country, 

 where the mere keeping a few miles of road in repair 

 requires the constant work of several men. If coal of 

 sufficiently good quality should be found, a tramroad 

 would be made, and would be very easily worked, owing 

 to the regular descent of the valley. 



Just as I got home I overtook Ali returning from 

 shooting with some birds hanging fi'om his belt. He 

 seemed much pleased, and said, " Look here, sir, what a 

 curious bird," holding out what at first completely puzzled 

 me. I saw a bird with a mass of splendid green feathers 

 on its breast, elongated into two glittering tufts ; but, what 

 I could not understand was a pair of long white feathers, 

 which stuck straight out from each shoulder. Ali assured 

 me that tlie bird stuck them out this way itself, when 

 fluttering its wings, and that they had remained so without 



I 



