432 



THE ARU ISLANDS, 



[CUAP. XXX. 



yet shot more than half were known Kew Guinea species, 

 and therefore ceitaiiily rare in European collections, while 

 the remainder were prohably new. In one respect my 

 hopes seemed doomed to he disappointed 1 had antici- 

 pated the pleasure of myself preparing fine specimens of 

 the liirils of Pamdisci hut I hoav learnt that they are all at 

 this season out of plumage, and that it is in September 

 and October that they have the long plumes of yellow 

 silky feathers in full perfection. As all the praus return 

 in July, 1 should not he able to spend that season in Aru 

 without remauung another whole year^ which was out of 

 the questioiL I was ixtformed, however, that the small red 

 species, the "King Bird of Taradise/' retains its plumage 

 at all seasons, and this 1 niight therefore hope to get 



As I became familiar with tlie forest scenery of the 

 island, I perceived it to possess some characteristic features 

 that distinguished it from that of Borneo and Malacca, 

 while, what is veiy suigidar and interesting, it recalled to 

 my mind the haU'-forgotten impressions of the forests of 

 Equatorial America. For example, the palms were much 

 more abundant than I had generally found them in the 

 liast, more generally mingled with the other vegetation, 

 more varied in form and aspect, and pi*esenting some of 

 those lofty and majestic smooth-stemmed, pininite-leaved 

 species which recall the Uauassii (Attalea speciosa) of the 

 AmazoUj but which I had hitherto rarely met with in 

 the Malayan islands. 



In animal life the immense numher and variety of 

 spiders and of lizards were circumsttmces that recalled 

 the proiihc regions of South America, nmre especially the 

 abundance and varied colours of the little jumping spiders 

 wliich ahound on tlowers and foUage, and are ufteu perfect 

 gems of beauty. The web-spinning species were also more 

 numerous than I had ever seen them, and were a great 

 annoyance, stTetcliing their nets across the Ibotpaths just 

 about the height of my face ; and the threads composing 

 these are so strong and glutinous as* to require much trouble 

 to free oneself trum them. Then theu^ inhabitants, great 

 yellow-spotted monsters with botiles two inches long, and 

 legs in proportion, are not pleasant things to run one's nose 

 against while pursmng some gorgeous butteilly, or gazing 



