75 



According to Ribbe, in the Iris for i88g, p. 197, Ceram is rich in species of Ornithoptera and Papilios : there 

 are, he says, 10 species of Ornithoptera and 58 of Papilios to be found in Great Ceram, the former includes several 

 of the genus Pompeoptera. It is an island rich in Coleoptera, among them being many nne Longicorma. To the north 01 

 CeramT with a slight inclination to the west, and situated due West of one of the arms of Gilolo, is the island of Batian, 

 or as it is variously spelled Batian, and Batchian, the northern end of which reaches almost to the equatorial line. 

 The length of the island from N.-West to S.-East is about 50 miles, with a width at its widest part of probably from 18 

 to 20 miles. Two small islands, Mandioli and Kasiruta with several islets flank Batjan on the west, and are con- 

 tinued by a line of islets as far Ternate, flanking the northern arm of Gilolo. Within this row of islets are Tawah, 

 Makjan, and Tidore— all of them good hunting grounds for insects and birds ; about 15 miles across the strait from 

 Makian is the island of Kai6a, a country so wonderfully rich in insects as to have fairly amazed and delighted Wallace. 

 The landing place on this island he tells us " is a beach of hard coralline rock, with rugged cliffs of the same, resembling 

 those of the Ke Island," accompanied by a brilliancy and luxuriance of the vegetation like what he had observed m the 

 latter islands. The land in the part of the island where he stayed is gradually sinking ; but when he reached an eleva- 

 tion of 200 feet on the forest clad line above the village where he stayed, the coralline rock was succeeded by a hard 

 crystalline rock— a kind of metamorphic sandstone— indicative of a recent elevation of more than 200 feet, which had 

 still more recently changed into a movement of subsidence. This is not to be wondered at, for all these districts must 

 be in a very unstable condition— judging by the almost universal evidences of volcanic action and the terrible volcanic 

 explosions that seem to occur at long intervals. In a new clearing beyond the swamp near the village- the insect life 

 was extraordinary. Mr. Wallace never visited a place so rich in beetles— a dozen species of large Buprestida?, green 

 rose-chafers (Lomaptera) , and long-horned beetles (Anthribidce) were so abundant that they rose up in swarms as he walked 

 aloncr filling the air with a buzzing hum. Several fine Longicornes were equally common. In three days at this spot 

 he took about 100 species, among which were 42 species of Longicornes. Butterflies and Birds were not however, so 

 numerous. Of Birds a great red parrot Electus Grandis, a Crow, a Megapodms, or mound-builder, and the Racquet- 

 tailed Kingfisher were the principal species met with. 



To return to Batjan: the capital (the village or town) is built on the head of a wide and deep 

 bay: a ran^e of mountains forms the backbone of the island— the southern portion of this range being fine 

 and lofty The northern and southern parts of the island are connected by a rather narrow isthmus; but 

 the northern part of the island is the broadest. The geological formation of the rocks, as far as Wallace could see 

 the coast was either in thin layers of sandstone, or a pebbly conglomerate— sometimes a little coralline limestone, but no 

 volcanic rocks. The forest was much more dense in its luxuriance and loftiness than those of Ternate and Gilolo, 

 where dry and porous lavas and raised coral reefs abound. Gigantic tree-ferns are abundant in the forest, and the 

 variety of vegetation is very great. In this forest are to be found the extraordinary Bird of Paradise, Semoptera 

 Wallacei, Gray, or Wallace's Standard Wing ; a green parrot with a red bill and head, Geoffryus Cyamcolhs ; two handsome 

 fruit pigeons with metallic green, ashy, and rufous plumage ; the deep-blue Roller, Enrystomus azureus ; the Golden- 

 capped Sunbird, Nertarinea Auriceps, and a Racquet-tailed Kingfisher, Tanysiptera isis. Among butterflies is 

 a species of Papilio, closely allied to the magnificent blue and black P. Ulysses but with the blue still more intense, 

 and a row of blue stripes around the margin of the posterior wings to accentuate the vemlets ; also a lovely 

 and delicate Lycama (DamisSebce of Boisdwal), with wings of rich metallic blue and white, and many handsome species of 

 Papilios, Pierids, and Euplceas. Coleoptera are abundant, among them some fine Longicornes. The interior of 

 Batjan, which has no indigenous people, is altogether uninhabited ; and only a few small villages were built along the 

 coast. In this forest Wallace first saw the ? of Crcesus, and two months later the <? . This species flies at a great 

 height, and is very wild and swift in its movement ; but being attracted to the yellow flowers of a shrub, a species of 

 Mussamda, he at length succeeded in taking it, as described at page 33 of this vol. 



Since then Crcesus has been discovered in Ternate, Djilolo, and (bred) in Amboina. Besides this wonderful species 

 the allied form Lydius with its curiously abnormal ? occurs in Djilolo or Gilolo, and perhaps in Batjan ; likewise several 

 species of Lycamidae, the fine Papilio Wallacei, of Hewitson— a lovely insect closely allied to the Agamemnon group of 

 swallow-tailed butterflies— an Aru Island species also occurs. But altogether by comparison with other localities 

 the forests of Batjan are rather poor in species and individuals of bird and insect life, though Wallace met with one 

 or two species in almost every class or order conspicuous for their extreme beauty or singularity of form. 



But, taking a long leap for the present to continental Australia, which also may be called the largest island in the 

 world we shall meet with a greater abundance of Ornithoptera, especially at the northern portion of this immense 

 country— while right on into New Guinea, the next largest tract of insulated land on earth, we have a whole province of 

 beautiful Ornithopterous forms, as magnificent and remarkable, or more so, as any to be found m the Moluccas, even 

 including Priamus and Crcesus. Two species or forms of Ornithoptera are inhabitants of the former country— 

 which are closely, — very closely, allied ; these are 0. Richmondia and 0. Cassandra. 



The first of these inhabits the district through which the Richmond River flows— a river which takes its origin among 

 the Macpherson Range of mountains somewhere near Mount Lindsay (which is 3,500 feet high) and in its winding and 

 erratic course, and by means of its branches, travels to Lismore, and also flows into the sea at Ballina. Mount Lindsay 

 is situated about 153 E. long., and about 27 20' S. lat. ; the Richmond River descends as low as 29 8' lat., but finally 

 empties itself into the ocean at about 27 50' S. lat. The whole of the coast-land from the Clarence River to the 

 Macpherson Range is exceedingly mountainous. In this portion of New South Wales 0. Richmondia is very plentiful : 

 it is common on all the northern rivers of N. S. Wales till we reach Clarence River, nearly 2-3rds of a degree farther 

 south, below which it is not found very far. At Lismore it is common. It extends also into southern Queensland, but 

 how far it is not easy to say. Altogether however it appears to have a wide range in mountainous and also more level 

 country. The Cassandra (or Euphorion form, as it is called by Miskin) is the common species of Queensland, 



