The late Lieut-Colonel John G. Champion. 305 



natural productions of the country, and had it in contempla- 

 tion to encourage and preserve these observations by publish- 

 ing, at their expense and under their sanction, a Fauna or 

 Physical History of the Island. Captain Champion was to 

 have been intrusted with the Entomology and a share of the 

 Botany, and he amassed a vast amount of materials for this 

 purpose. A large volume of carefully executed figures of in- 

 sects was prepared by him, and an immense mass of drawings 

 and dissections of plants. Unfortunately, the change of Go- 

 vernment put a stop to this enlightened project, and the ma- 

 terials still remain unused. Let us hope that they may yet 

 be made available to science. 



The next scene of his labours was Hong Kong, where he 

 was stationed for three years. This was in a great measure 

 virgin territory, and amply repaid his industry and skill. 

 Along with Mr Bowring he thoroughly investigated the ento- 

 mology of the island, and their researches were rewarded with 

 the discovery of a great many unknown species. Among 

 others, no less than seven new species of Paussi were detected, 

 all of which (we believe) are now in the British Museum. It 

 would be out of place to dwell here on the new species made 

 known by him ; but we must not forget one of the most beau- 

 tiful of them, a lovely longicorn, described by Mr Adam White 

 under the name of Erythrus Championi. 



His botanical explorations were not less fortunate ; and we 

 have the privilege of quoting & short passage, giving an ac- 

 count of the results of his labours, taken from a letter from 

 the eminent botanist Mr Bentham, who was more associated 

 with Colonel Champion in the botany of Hong Kong than any 

 other person. Mr Bentham says : " The greatest contribu- 

 tion Major Champion has made to the cause of science was 

 during his three years' residence in Hong Kong, where he 

 collected nearly 500 species, exclusive of Glumaceae and Ferns, 

 — a most extraordinary number for so small an island, consi- 

 dering, especially, the large proportion of entirely new forms 

 it included. He published several of these, in conjunction 

 with Dr Gardner, in the last paper transmitted by the latter 

 eminent botanist from Ceylon previous to his decease, and 

 inserted in the Kew Journal of Botany. On his return to this 



