326 NEW GUINEA. [chap, xxxiv. 



became scarce, so that my only resource was insect-lmnt- 

 ing. I worked very hard every hour of fine weather, and 

 daily obtained a number of new species. Every dead tree 

 and fallen log was searched and searched again ; and among 

 the dry and rotting leaves, which still hung on certain 

 trees which had been cut down, I found an abundant 

 harvest of minute Coleoptera. .Although I never after- 

 wards found so many large and handsome beetles as in 

 Borneo, yet I obtained here a great variety of species. For 

 the first two or three weeks, while I was searching out the 

 best localities, I took about 30 different kinds of beetles a 

 day, besides about half that number of butterflies, and a 

 few of the other orders. But afterwards, up to the very 

 last week, I averaged 49 species a day. On the 3 1st of 

 May, I took 78 distinct sorts, a larger number than I had 

 ever captured before, principally obtained among dead 

 trees and under rotten bark. A good long walk on a fine 

 day up the hill, and to the plantations of the natives, 

 capturing everything not very common that came in my 

 way, would produce about 60 species ; but on the last day 

 of June I brought home no less than 95 distinct kinds of 

 beetles, a larger number than I ever obtained in one day 

 before or since. It was a fine hot day, and I devoted it to 

 a search among dead leaves, beating foliage, and hunting 

 under rotten bark, in all the best stations I had discovered 

 during my walks. I was out from ten in the morning till 



