CHAP. xxvii.J OF THE MOLUCCAS. l55 



Gilolo. All these insects are represented of the natural 

 size. 



Like the birds, the insects of the Moluccas show a 

 decided affinity with those of New Guinea rather than 

 with the productions of the great western islands of the 

 Archipelago, but the difference in form and structure be- 

 tween the productions of the east and west is not nearly 

 so marked here as in birds. This is probably due to the 

 more immediate dependence of insects on climate and 

 vegetation, and the greater facilities for their distribution 

 in the varied stages of egg, pupa, and perfect insect. 

 This has led to a general uniformity in the insect-life 

 of the whole Archipelago, in accordance with the gene- 

 ral uniformity of its climate and vegetation ; while on 

 the other hand tlie great susceptibility of the insect 

 organization to the action of external conditions has led to 

 infinite detailed modifications of form and colour, which 

 liave in many cases given a considerable diversity to the 

 productions of adjacent islands. 



Owing to the great preponderance among the birds, of 

 parrots, pigeons, kingfishers, and sunbirds, almost all of gay 

 or delicate colours, and many adorned with the most 

 gorgeous plumage, and to the numbers of very large and 

 showy butterflies which are almost everywhere to be met 

 with, the forests of the Moluccas offer to the naturalist 

 a very striking example of the luxuriance and beauty of 



