illing the air with a loud buzzing hum. Along with these,
several fine Longicorns were almost equally common, forming such au
assemblage as for once to realize that idea of tropical luxuriance which
one obtains by looking over the drawers of a well-filled cabinet. On
the under sides of the trunks clung numbers of smaller or more sluggish
Longicorns, while on the branches at the edge of the clearing others
could be detected sitting with outstretched antenna ready to take flight
at the least alarm. It was a glorious spot, and one which will always
live in my memory as exhibiting the insect-life of the tropics in
unexampled luxuriance. For the three following days I continued to visit
this locality, adding each time many new species to my collection-the
following notes of which may be interesting to entomologists. October
15th, 33 species of beetles; 16th, 70 species; 17th, 47 species; 18th,
40 species; 19th, 56 species--in all about a hundred species, of which
forty were new to me. There were forty-four species of Longicorns among
them, and on the last day I took twenty-eight species of Longicorns, of
which five were new to me.

My boys were less fortunate in shooting. The only birds at all common
were the great red parrot (Eclectus grandis), found in most of the
Moluccas, a crow, and a Megapodius, or mound-maker. A few of the pretty
racquet-tailed kingfishers were also obtained, but in very poor plumage.
They proved, however, to be of a different species from those found in
the other islands, and come nearest to the bird originally described by
Linnaeus under the name of Alcedo dea, and which came from Ternate. This
would indicate that the small chain of islands parallel to Gilolo have
a few peculiar species in common, a fact which certainly occurs in
insects.

The people of Kaioa interested me much. They are evidently a mixed race,
having Malay and Papuan affinities, and are allied to the peoples
of Ternate and of Gilolo. They possess a peculiar language, somewhat
resembling those of the surrounding islands, but quite distinct. They
are now Mahometans, and are subject to Ternate, The only fruits seen
here were papaws and pine-apples, the rocky soil and dry climate being
unfavourable. Rice, maize, and plantains flourish well, except that
they suffer from occasional dry seasons like the present one. There is
a little cotton grown, from which the women weave sarongs (Malay
petticoats). There is only one well of good water