ification
exactly opposite to that which produced the wingless birds (the Apteryx,
Cassowary, and Dodo), appears to have here taken place; and it is
curious that in both cases an insular habitat should have been the
moving cause. The explanation is probably the same as that applied
by Mr. Darwin to the case of the Madeira beetles, many of which are
wingless, while some of the winged ones have the wings better developed
than the same species on the continent. It was advantageous to these
insects either never to fly at all, and thus not run the risk of being
blown out to sea, or to fly so well as to be able either to return to
land, or to migrate safely to the continent. Pad flying was worse
than not flying at all. So, while in such islands as New Zealand and
Mauritius far from all land, it was safer for a ground-feeding bird not
to fly at all, and the short-winged individuals continually surviving,
prepared the way for a wingless group of birds; in a vast Archipelago
thickly strewn with islands and islets it was advantageous to be able
occasionally to migrate, and thus the long and strong-winged varieties
maintained their existence longest, and ultimately supplanted all
others, and spread the race over the whole Archipelago.

Besides this pigeon, the only new bird I obtained during the trip was
a rare goat-sucker (Batrachostomus crinifrons), the only species of the
genus yet found in the Moluccas. Among my insects the best were the rare
Pieris arum, of a rich chrome yellow colour, with a black border and
remarkable white antenna--perhaps the very finest butterfly of the
genus; and a large black wasp-like insect, with immense jaws like a
stag-beetle, which has been named Megachile Pluto by Mr. B. Smith. I
collected about a hundred species of beetles quite new to me, but mostly
very minute, and also many rare and handsome ones which I had already
found in Batchian. On the whole I was tolerably satisfied with my
seventeen days' excursion, which was a very agreeable one, and enabled
me to sea a good deal of the island. I had hired a roomy boat, and
brought with me a small table and my rattan chair. These were great
comforts, as, wherever there was a roof, I could immediately instal
myself, and work and eat at ease. When I could not find accommodation on
shore I slept in the boat, which was always drawn up on the beach if we
stayed for a few days at one spot.

On my return to Batchian I packed up my collections, and prepared