chap, xx.] BIRDS AND INSECTS. 460 



ten species of these birds are now known, all much resem- 

 bling each other, but yet sufficiently distinguishable in 

 every locality. The Amboynese species, of which a very 

 accurate representation is here given, is one of the largest 

 and handsomest. It is full seventeen inches long to the 

 tips of the tail-feathers ; the bill is coral red, the under- 

 surface pure white, the back and wings deep purple, while 

 the shoulders, head and nape, and some spots on the upper 

 part of the back and wings, are pure azure blue. The 

 tail is white, with the feathers narrowly blue-edged, but 

 the narrow part of the long feathers is rich blue. This 

 was an entirely new species, and has been well named 

 after an ocean goddess, by Mr. E. G. Gray. 



On Christmas eve I returned to Amboyna, where I 

 stayed about ten days with my kind friend Dr. Mohnike. 

 Considering that I had been away only twenty days, and 

 that on five or six of those I was prevented doing any- 

 thing by wet weather and slight attacks of fever, I had 

 made a very nice collection of insects, comprising a much 

 larger proportion of large and brilliant species than I had 

 ever before obtained in so short a time. Of the beautiful 

 metallic Buprestidse I had about a dozen handsome species, 

 yet in the doctor's collection I observed four or five more 

 very fine ones, so that Amboyna is unusually rich in this 

 elegant group. 



During my stay here I had a good opportunity of seeing 



