October L5th, 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.
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