[October, 
624 Exploration in the Far East. 
The Aru Islands were found especially abundant in Lepi- 
doptera, including the magnificent Cocvtia d'Urvillei. 
The author’s account of the birds of Paradise of Aru and 
the neighbouring islands is very complete. He describes 
Paradisea apoda and P. regia. We cannot refrain from ex- 
pressing our fears that this splendid family will soon be 
extirpated, except the use of the birds for the decoration of 
persons, rooms, &c., be prohibited. 
At Ternate the author visited the grave of his distin- 
guished predecessor, Dr. H. A. Bernstein, who died at 
Batanta in 1865. 
Herr von Rosenberg’s visits to New Guinea comprise an 
examination of the south-west and north-east coasts, a 
journey to Geel Vink Bay, and an expedition to Andai by 
way of Batjan. He considers that only an insignificant 
fraction of the fauna, and still more of the flora, of this 
marvellous island is as yet known to Science. His expedi- 
tions appear to have been made chiefly in the rainy seasons, 
when both collection and observation are much impeded. 
Nevertheless he studied with care and success the splendid 
genus Epimachus. He is the first European who met with 
E. speciosus “ in the flesh,” all specimens formerly obtained 
having been skinned and spoiled by the natives, who are the 
vilest of taxidermists. 
Our author’s account of his visit to Java is substantially 
a description of the admirable Botanical Gardens of Buiten- 
zorg, maintained by the Dutch Colonial Government. 
These gardens contain 251 families, 2305 genera, and 8506 
species of plants. For the benefit of plants that require a 
cooler climate there are branch establishments in the moun- 
tains, one of them on the summit of Pangerango, 9600 feet 
above the sea-level. 
An appendix contains a description of species of birds 
which the author has discovered, or at least has had the 
opportunity of examining more closely than had been done 
before. 
In this short survey we have necessarily been able to refer 
only to a very small part of the interesting matter contained 
in this work, which we strongly recommend to all who are 
interested in the geography, the ethnology, and the natural 
history of the Far East. 
