330 



BJTCBFJJf, 



[OUAP. XXIT, 



or Uid along tKe body at the pleasure of the bird. The 

 bill is horn colour, the legs yellow, and the iris pale olive. 

 This sh'iking novelty has been named by Jlr. U. li Gray 

 of the British Muaeum, Semioptera WaiLicei, or " Wallace's 

 Standard wing." 



A few days kt«r I obtained an exceedingly beautiful 

 new butterlly, allied to the fine blue Papilio tJlysses, but 

 difTering fi'om it in the colour being of a more intense tint, 

 and in having a row of blue stripes around the margin 

 of the lower wings. This good beginniog was, however, 

 rather deceptive, and I soon found that insects, and 

 especially buttertlies, were somewhat scarce, and birds in 

 far less variety than I had anticipated. Several of the 

 fine Moluccan species were however obtained. The hand- 

 some red lory witli green wings and a yellow spot in the 

 l>ack (Lorius garnilus), was not uncommon. When the 

 Janibu, or rose apple (Eugenia sp.), was in flower in the 

 village, hocks of the little lorikeet (Charmosyna placentis), 

 already met with in Gilolo, came to feed upon the nectar, 

 and I obtained aa many specimens as I desired. Another 

 beautiful bird of the parrot tribe was the GeolTroyus 

 cyanicollis, a green pmot with a red bill and head, which 

 colour shaded on the crown into azure blue, and thence 

 into vmliter blue aod the green of the back. T a'o large 

 and handsome fmit pigeons, with metallic green, ashy, and 

 rufous plumage, were not uncommon ; and I was rewai'ded 

 by finding a splendid deep blue roUer (Eurystomus azureus), 

 a lovely golden-capped sunbird (Nectarinea auriceps), and 

 a fine racquet-tailed kingfisher (Tanysiptera isis), all of 

 which were entirely new to ornithologists. Of insects I 

 obtained a considerable number of iiiterestiog beetles, 

 including many fine longicorns, among which was the 

 largest and handsomest species of the genus Glenea yet 

 discovered. Among butterflies the beautiful little Danis 

 sebai was abundant, making the forests gay with its deli- 

 cate wings of white and the richest metallic blue ; while 

 showy Papilios, and pretty Pieridie, and dai-k, rich EuplKas, 

 many of them new, furnished a constant soui'ce of interest 

 and pleasuig occupation, 



riie island of Batcliion possesses no really indigenous 

 inhabitants, the interior being altogether uuiuliabited, and 



