324 



FOYAQE TO BATCIIIAX 



ciLvp. rxni. 



were almost equally common, forming such fin assemblage 

 as for once to realize tbat idea of tropical luxuriance whicSi 

 one obtains by looking over the drawers of a well-tilled 

 cabiiret. On the under sides of the trunks clung numbers 

 of smaller or more sluprgiah Longicorns, while on the 

 branches at the edge of the clearing others could be 

 detected sitting with outstretched antennae ready to take 

 flight at the lea-st alarm. It was a glorious spot, and one 

 which will always live in my memory as exhibiting the 

 insect-life of the tropics in unexampled luxuriance. For 

 the three following days I contimted lo visit this locality, 

 adding each time many new species to my collection— the 

 following notes of which may be intei-esting to entomo- 

 logists. October loth, 33 species of beetles; 16th, 70 

 species; 17th, 47 species; I8th, 40 species; 19th, 56 

 species — in all about a hundred species, of wliich forty 

 were new to me. There were forty-fLmr species of Longi- 

 coms among them, and on the last day I took twenty- 

 eight species of Longicorns, of which five were new to me. 



My boys were less fortunate in shooting. The only 

 birds at all common were the great red parrot (Eclectus 

 grand is), found in most of the Jloluccas, a crow, and a 

 Slegapodtus, or mound-maker. A few of the pretty 

 racquet-tailed kiugfisbers were also obtained, but in very 

 poor plumage. They proved, however, to be of a diflerent 

 species from those ibund in the otlier islands, and como 

 nearest to the bird oiiginaliy described by Linnaeus 

 under the name of Alcedo dea, and which came from 

 Ternate. This would indicate that the small chain of 

 islands parallel to Gilolo have a few peculiar species in 

 common, a fact which certainly occurs iu insects. 



The people of Kai6a interested me much. They are 

 evidently a mixed mce, having Malay and Papuan affini- 

 ties, and ai-e allied to the peoples of Ternate and of Gilolo. 

 They po.=isess a peculiar language, somewhat resembling 

 those of the surrounding islands, but quite distinct They 

 are now Mahometans, and are suVyect to Ternate, The 

 only fruits seen liere were papaws and pine-apydes, the 

 rocky sod and dry climate Ijeing unfavourable. Hice, maize, 

 and plantains flourish well, except that they suffer from 

 occasional dry seasons like the present one. There is a 



