544 



KEELING ISLAND. 



April, 1836. 



were numerous, there were thirteen species.* Of these, one 

 only was a beetle. A small species of ant, swarmed by thou- 

 sands under the loose dry blocks of coral, and was the only 

 true insect which was abundant. Although the productions of 

 the land are thus scanty ; if we look to the waters of the sur- 

 rounding sea, the number of organic beings is indeed infinite. 



Chamissot has described the natural history of RomanzofF, 

 a lagoon island in the Radack Archipelago. The number 

 and kind of productions there is very nearly the same with 

 those here. One small lizard was seen : wading birds 

 (Numenius and Scolopax) were numerous, and very tame. 

 Of plants, he states there were nineteen species (including 

 one fern) ; and some of them are the same species with 

 those I collected here, although on an island situated in a 

 diiferent ocean. 



These strips of land are raised only to that height, to 

 which the surf can throw fragments, and the wind heap up 

 sand. Their protection is due to the outward and lateral 

 increase of the reef, which thus breaks the sea. The 

 aspect and constitution of these islets at once call up the 

 idea, that the land and the ocean are here struggling for 

 mastery: although terra-firma has obtained a footing, the 

 denizens of the other element think their claim at least 

 equal. In every part one meets hermit-crabs of more than 

 one species,{ carrying on their backs the houses they have 

 stolen from the neighbouring beach. Overhead, the trees 

 are occupied by numbers of gannets, frigate-birds, and terns. 



* The thirteen species belong to the following orders. Coleoptera, a 

 species of minute Elater ; Orthoptera, a Gryllus and Blatta ; Hemiptera^ 

 one ; Homoptera, two ; Neuroptera, a Chrysopa ; Hymenoptera, two ants ; 

 Lepidoptera Nocturna, a Diopsea, and a Pterophorus (?). Diptera, two. 



f Kotzebue's First Voyage, vol. iii., p. 222. 



X The large claws or pincers of some of these crabs, are most beau- 

 tifully adapted, when drawn back, to form an operculum to the shell, 

 which is nearly as perfect as the proper one that belonged to the original 

 molluscous animal. I was assured, and as far as my observation went it 

 was confirmed, that there are certain kinds of these hermits, which always 

 use certain kinds only of old shells. 



