252 L. de Niceville — List of the Butterflies of the Ke Isles. [No. 2, 



islands shew in different places distinct old strand and beach lines, which 

 prove that they have been periodically raised by volcanic action. Ac- 

 cording to the natives, about sixty years ago one small island was so 

 raised above the level of the sea on the western side during the occur- 

 rence of a great earthquake combined with a tidal wave. Also during 

 recent years slight earthquakes are felt from time to time. On Little 

 Ke is found the largest area under cultivation, " batatas," a kind of 

 pea, and also beans, indian-corn and cocoa-nuts being largely grown. 

 In some places in Little Ke are yet found forests of iron-wood, " ling- 

 goo-ah" and " loriah " wood; also on the mountains of Great Ke. But 

 the forests are being cut down year by year, and become rapidly thin- 

 ner, the more so as the Ke islanders every year increase the building of 

 " praus" (native boats), which are sold to the people of the islands close to 

 the Ke archipelago. The natives live principally on sago, which is largely 

 cultivated ; but rice has to be imported by traders. The exports from 

 the Ke isles consist of logs of iron-wood ; " praus," " tripang " (beche-de- 

 mer), turtle-shell, black-shell, green snail-shell, "copra" (dried cocoa- 

 nuts), and some "bengkoedoe" (Morinda bracteata, Roxb.),used for dyeing. 

 The whole population consists of about 24,000 souls, residing chiefly on 

 Great Ke, of whom about 14,000 are heathens, 9,500 Muhammadans, and 

 about 500 Roman Catholics, the latter resulting from a mission settled 

 there for about the last ten years. The people are of very mixed 

 blood, and are Malaio-Polynesians. Their colour varies from light to 

 dark brown and is of all shades. The hair is black, mostly long and 

 slightly curly. There are of course many with short frizzly hair des- 

 cended from immigrants from New Guinea. They divide themselves 

 into four classes : — I. The " mel-mel " are the aristocracy, and are 

 chiefly descended from immigrated traders from Ternate, Luang, Ceram, 

 and Macassar in Celebes. From this class are mostly elected the chiefs, 

 of whom there are usually three or four in each village. II. The 

 " jam-ah," who are perhaps the original native aristocracy, of whom 

 also different chiefs exist. III. The " renn-renn," who are free citi- 

 zens. IV. The " tri-ri " or slaves, or better, bondsmen. Though 

 there are so many chiefs, they have very little authority over their 

 people, the family being the unit of government. The religion of the 

 heathen portion of the population is a very simple one. They have one 

 or two wooden idols erected in places they consider to be sacred, but 

 believe much more in ghosts than in their gods; to the former they pray, 

 and make offerings to them when commencing the cultivation of their 

 fields, going a journey, in times of distress, &c. In general the people 

 are very lazy, and live from hand to mouth, never thinking of the mor- 

 row. A little sago and a fish suffices for each meal, and of fish there is 



