600 
THE VOYAGE OF H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 
everywhere, decomposing the lava amongst which they passed ; in most of the cracks 
were small quantities of sulphur. From the margin of the crater overlooking the towm of 
Ternate there was a magnificent view, embracing the island of Halmahera (Gillolo), which 
lay spread as a map beneath us, and the peak of Tidore, and many far-distant islands. 
Our guides rejoined us when we came down to the outer crater. For the benefit of any 
future explorers of the Peak, 'which is very seldom ascended, I give the time required for 
the ascent. We left the house at 1000 feet altitude at 4.30 a.m., reached the margin of 
the outer crater at 8.30 a.m., and the summit at 9.30 a.m. The temperature of the air 
at an altitude of 4800 feet was 71° F. at 8.30 a.m., at the summit of the mountain it 
was 68°'5 F. at 9.30 a.m.” 
The rocks collected at Ternate were augite-andesite with pleochroic augites and 
probably with some hypersthene crystals. 
From a record of the temperature kept at Ternate for eight years, it appears that the 
climate is very uniform, the mean temperature for each month varying only from 80° to 
81°. Pain falls on a average 216 days in the year, or 18 days per month. The number 
of days’ rain per month being rather under the average during the northerly, and over 
the average during the southerly, monsoon. The northerly monsoon commences in 
January and ends in March, the southerly monsoon in April and lasts until the beginning 
of November. 
Each day whilst the ship was at Ternate the clouds banked up over the hills towards 
the afternoon, and about 5 or 6 p.m. a heavy rain squall was experienced, which lasted 
about three quarters of an hour, and produced a deliciously cool atmosphere after the 
heat of the day. 
The rise and fall of the tide at springs is about 4 feet, but may vary with the 
season of the year. 
The zoological collections at Ternate included a new species of Snake of the family 
Calamaridae, and a new Butterfly ( Gerydus stygianus, Butler), as well as a Sphynx Moth 
(Protoparce cingulcita [Fabr.]), concerning which Mr. Butler remarks : — “ The appearance 
of this New World species at Ternate is very surprising ; it is probably only an accidental 
immigrant. The specimen was much worn and shattered, and may have been long on 
the wing. Some of the Sphingidae have been taken at an almost incredible distance from 
land, showing that their flight is not only extremely rapid, but capable of being "sustained 
for a considerable time.” 1 
The Medusae. — Professor Haeckel, who has drawn up a Report on the Medusae 
collected during the Expedition, has indicated the more important points in his Report 2 
in the following notes : — “ Few classes of animals appear so ill-suited for life in the deep 
1 Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 5, vol. xiii. pp. 194, 199, 1884. 
2 Report on the Deep-Sea Medusae, Zool. Chall. Exp., part xii., 1881. 
