IN TIMOR, 



423 



of the vegetation about it, it was loaded, told how cool and 

 moist an atmosphere it was living in. 



Among the tall grass fields one of tho commonest orchids 

 was the white sweet-scented Hahenaria susannm^ remarkabl© 

 for the great length of its uectaries, Dinraal lepidoptera were 

 noticeably very few at Fatunaba ; but at night more moths 

 (belonging only to a few^ species) than at any other station 

 where I had lived, crowded to my lamp. Among them the 

 most abundant were two moderate-sized Noetumt a new species 

 of Ophiodes and Remigm virbia, and a largish species of 

 Humming-bird moth (Frotoparce orientalist I made it a 

 point daily to watch the fertilisation of these Habenarias. 

 They were invariably cross-fertilised during tlie night by a 

 moth which, as it always left a few of its hairs on the stigma, 

 I feel certain is the same as one and perhaps both of the 

 Noeium just mentioned, hut the tongue of both species is 

 far too short ever to reach more than half-way down towards 

 the minute drop of sweetness concealed at the very tip 

 of the nectary. The large pollinia in many cases had been 

 carried only as far as one of the petals or to a neighlwuring 

 leaf, as if the moth, fiudiug the burden too great for it, had 

 rested there, and succeeded in freeing itself of them. 



Collecting was carried on till the end of February with all 

 theTlgour possible, my herbarium especially rapidly increasing 

 in size; but I had fully expected to have been by then far in 

 the interior. The weather, however, had been very disastrous 

 for us, and we had bad much diffi(*ulty with onr servants. It 

 was a weary tramp up to Fatunabti from Dilly, and as al I our 

 provisions had to be carried by our own men, they very soon 

 tired of the exertion that this entailed, and of living so far 

 from the hanipa stores of the town. One of the Goa men 

 was an inveterate toper, and had very soon to be discharged. 

 His place was taken by a younger brother, who proved a good 

 and willing servant j but he coukl not stand the cold nights of 

 the mountains, so when he left in ill-health, fullowed soon 

 after by his brother dismissed for larceny, their place was 

 filled by an Allor youth, who knew a little Malay, Cxoma 

 was a servant faithful as a dog, strong and willing to work, 

 but having not the slightest idea of Eurofieon ways, which he 

 had never seen, he afforded us much amusement, if not much 



