Na t ti ral-History Collectors . 



6413 



figured by Levaillant as the female of P. papuana is a male of the 

 second year which has acquired the green throat in front, but not the 

 long feathers of the tail or flanks : to all the female specimens I have 

 attached tickets, — all not ticketed are males. 



Whilst the Dutch steamer was at Dorey a native prow came from 

 the Island of Jobie, and bought two specimens of Atrapia nigra, which 

 were sold to a German gentlemen, who is an ornithologist, before I 

 knew any thing of them : I believe that island is their only locality, 

 and the natives are there very bad, treacherous and savage. That is 

 also the country of the rare species of crown pigeon (Goura Victoria) ; 

 a living specimen of this was also purchased on board the steamer. I 

 have great thoughts, notwithstanding my horror of boat work at sea 

 (for a burnt child dreads the fire) and my vow never to buy a boat 

 again, of getting up a small craft and thoroughly exploring the coasts 

 and islands of the Northern Moluccas, and to Waigiou, &c. ; it is the 

 only way of visiting many most interesting places, — the Eastern 

 coast of the four peninsulars of Gilolo, the Island of Guebe, half-way 

 between Gilolo and Waigiou, a most interesting spot, as Gilolo and 

 Waigiou possess quite distinct Faunas. 



A. R. Wallace. 



Extract from a letter of M. Mouhot to Mr. S. Stevens. 



Bankok, October 13, 1858. — I have had great difficulty in procuring 

 the few specimens I now send you, as I arrived here just at the end 

 of the rainy season, when the country was completely inundated ; 

 besides this, my first and charming collection of beautiful insects 

 was devoured by ants, which swarm here in an extraordinary manner ; 

 in the space of one night they destroyed about sixty Lepidoptera, with 

 about one hundred Neuroptera, Hemiptera, &c. ; in the morning 

 nothing remained of them but shapeless atoms. In vain I employed 

 the most efficacious means to get rid of them, and such as had hitherto 

 always succeeded ; oil Bombay or the Siam wood-oil alone was 

 effectual. During sixteen days that my boxes were oiled the ants kept 

 away from them, and it is no longer necessary to have recourse to sus- 

 pended planks or to place the feet of the table in basins of water. I 

 consider this an important discovery, — the more so, as none of the 

 inhabitants of Bankok, who have their magazines frequently ravaged 

 by these destructive insects, could inform me of a remedy. 



