Insects. 4805 



the E1aterida3, and have many pretty things, especially among the 

 velvety species, with a swollen thorax. Of Heteroraera, Erotylida^, 

 Chrysomelidae and Trimera, I have hosts of curious things, which are 

 daily increasing in number. The only family in which there is an 

 absolute deficiency, is that of the beautiful Cetoniadae. I have only 

 at present one or two Taenioderas, a fine green and black Coryphocera, 

 and the handsome Macronota Diardi, which is, I believe, very rare : 

 I scarcely dare hope to increase my collection of this family to any 

 great extent, as they evidently are only abundant in mountainous and 

 rather open shrub-producing districts, while they are scarcely at all 

 represented in the dense and gloomy jungles which are the favourite 

 haunts of all those insects which at any period of their existence feed 

 on fresh or decaying timber, or on the boleti which grow upon it. 

 Among my latest captures are, my first species of Paussus, which I 

 have been long anxiously looking for : I took it in the daytime flying 

 about fallen timber. Two days since I obtained a species of Malaco- 

 macrus, a Brazilian genus of Longicorns, described and figured by 

 White in the ' British Museum Catalogue,' and yesterday, while at 

 breakfast, a magnificent black and yellow spotted Lamia flew into the 

 verandah, and was caught in my hand. I have now 135 species of 

 Bornean Longicorns, and I do not despair of getting 200 before I 

 leave this place, which I mean to work thoroughly. 



To give English entomologists some idea of the collecting here, I 

 will give a sketch of one good day's work. Till breakfast I am occu- 

 pied ticketing and noting the captures of the previous day, examining 

 boxes for ants, putting out drying-boxes and setting the insects of any 

 caught by lamp-light. About 10 o'clock I am ready to start. My 

 equipment is, a rug-net, large collecting-box hung by a strap over my 

 shoulder, a pair of pliers for Hymenoptera, two bottles with spirits, 

 one large and wide-mouthed for average Coleoptera, &c, the other 

 very small for minute and active insects, which are often lost by 

 attempting to drop them into a large mouthed bottle. These bottles 

 are carried in pockets in my hunting-shirt, and are attached by strings 

 round my neck ; the corks are each secured to the bottle by a short 

 string. The morning is fine, and thus equipped I first walk to some 

 dead trees close to the house frequented by Buprestidae. As I 

 approach I see the bright golden back of one, as he moves in 

 sideway jerks alonk a prostrate trunk, — I approach with caution, but 

 before I can reach him, whizz ! — he is off, and flies humming round 

 my head. After one or two circuits he settles again in a place ren- 

 dered impassable by sticks and bushes, and when he leaves it, it is 

 xiii. 2n 



