Natural-History Collectors. 4397 



The Elaters and Buprestidae are all very small, as well as the Chry- 

 somelidse and other small groups. In all I have now 250 species, 

 which will increase daily, but at a slower rate. 



" In the other orders there is nothing very remarkable. Hemiptera, 

 as well as bees and wasps, are very scarce. Tenthredinidae are rather 

 abundant. Of dragon-flies I have many pretty species, and the 

 Diptera are plentiful and very curious. I have taken a species (of the 

 genus Diopsis I believe) with telescopic eyes, and some other singular 

 forms. Ants are very abundant, also scorpions and centipedes, but 

 these I do not seek after. 



" In the midst of this entomological banquet there is, however, one 

 drawback — a sword suspended by a hair over the head of the unfor- 

 tunate flycatcher: it is the possibility of being eaten up by a liger ! 

 While watching with eager eyes some lovely insect, the thought will 

 occasionally occur that a hungry tiger may be lurking in that dense 

 jungle immediately behind intent upon catching you. Hundreds of 

 Chinamen are annually devoured. Pitfalls are made for the animals 

 all over the country; and in one of them, within two miles of our 

 house, a tiger was captured a short time before my arrival. Only last 

 night a party of Chinamen, going home to their plantation, turned 

 back afraid, having heard the roaring of a tiger in the path. These 

 are unpleasant reminders of the proximity of a deadly foe ; and though 

 perhaps the absolute danger is little enough, as the tiger is a great 

 coward and will not attack unless he can do it unawares, yet it is bet- 

 ter to have the mind quite free from any such apprehensions. I shall 

 therefore most probably leave here in a month or so for Borneo, before 

 which, however, I hope to make such a collection as to give a tolerably 

 correct idea of the Entomology of Singapore," 



Mr. H. W. Bates.*— " Santarem, January 18, 1854. — Although I 

 have no collection to forward this month, and nothing very important 

 to say, I write you to convey my great gratification at the receipt, a 

 few days ago, of the two missing parcels sent by you ; not only the 

 one sent in May last, but also the long-lost one of May, 1852, con- 

 taining the water-colours, &c, &c. ; all quite complete and undis- 

 turbed: they have been lying at the Custom-House in Para, on 

 account of no one making application for them. 1 believe now I have 

 received everything you have sent me up to this time. In December 

 I sent you the collection I had made in a three months' sojourn up the 



* Communicated by Mr. S. Stevens, 

 XIT. 2 K 



