its nest. Should one unconsciously disturb them
by getting entangled among the branches in the neighbourhood of a nest,
he may expect a whole swarm upon him before he can extricate himself, and
is first made aware of their presence by feeling sharp stinging pains in
various places, especially the neck, caused by their bites. A small
firefly (a species of Lampyris) is plentiful, showing out at night like a
twinkling phosphorescent spark, slowly flitting about from tree to tree
or resting on the leaves wet with dew. Nor must I omit a very splendid
day-flying moth (Cocytia durvillei) which is common on the skirts of the
woods and thickets; several even came on board the ship at various times.

Very few fish were caught at this anchorage, but on the mudflat at the
mouth of the creek, shoals of mullet and guard-fish were seen daily. In
the fresh water I observed several small species of Cyprinidae rising at
flies, but, not being provided with the requisite tackle, none were
caught.

SHELLS.

The muddy mangrove-covered banks of the lower part of the creek furnished
the collection with an Auricula and a very fine Cyrena, apparently the
same as the Australian and New Guinea C. cyprinoides. Many freshwater
shells were found in the neighbourhood of the watering-place--three kinds
of Melania, a Mytilus, a Navicella, and five species of Neritina--but
most of these have been already described as inhabitants of the Feejee
Islands and other places in Polynesia, and elsewhere. One might
reasonably have anticipated a rich harvest of land-shells in the damp
forests of South-east Island, yet diligent search on the trunks of the
trees and among the dead leaves about their roots produced only four
species, all of which however are new. The finest of these is a Pupina,
the giant of its race, of a glossy reddish pink colour with red mouth.

BARTER WITH NATIVES.

During our stay here the ship was daily visited by canoes from Pig Island
and its vicinity, also from a village or two on South-east Island, a few
miles to the eastward of our anchorage. They usually made their
appearance in the morning and remained for an hour or so, bartering
coconuts, yams, ornaments and weapons for iron hoop, knives, and axes.
After leaving us, those coming from the eastward, as the wind was
unfavourable for their return, landed at the mouth of the creek and
waited for the floodtide. Our intercourse throughout was peaceful, which
was fortunate for both parti