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Show 508 DR. A. GUNTHER ON A ZOOLOGICAL [June 23, considering the short time at the disposal of the visitors, and the narrow limits of the portion of the island which was accessible to them, the collection is larger than could have been expected. The best thanks of naturalists are due to Capt. Maclear and the other officers of the ship for having undertaken this task in addition to the primary object of their visit. Unfortunately one of the most interesting portions of the Collection, viz. the Lepidoptera, was destroyed on its way home, some pieces of camphor having become loose and smashed all the specimens with the exception of two. The remainder of the Collection consisted of 95 specimens, viz. 4 Mammals, 4 Birds, 4 Reptiles, 12 Crustaceans, 4 Arachnids and Myriopods, 27 Insects, 31 Mollusca, 8 Echinoderms, and 1 Sponge. Twelve of the species proved to be undescribed, but at present it would be premature to represent, them as isolated forms peculiar to the island, because some of them may yet be found to occur also in some unexplored portion of the Moluccas. The specimens have been deposited in the British Museum, and examined by the staff of the Zoological Department. I am indebted to Capt. Wharton for the communication of Capt. Maclear's report and for his kind permission to reproduce here the valuable information contained therein. His observations leave no doubt that a rich harvest might be gathered if a collector should be able to make a longer stay and to reach the interior of the island. Report on Christmas Island. By Captain M A C L E A R, of H.M.S. ' Flying-Fish/ Observation spot, the middle of the beach, Flying-Fish Cove, about two miles westward of the north point of the island. Lat. 10° 23' 19" S., long. 105° 42' 52" E. ; dependent on Batavia. Christmas Island is 190 miles from the nearest point of Java, from which it is separated by a depth of 2450 fms. It is formed of coral-limestone, has no fringing reef, but rises abruptly from the sea in cliffs about 30 feet high, very much underworn, and in many places hollowed out in caverns ; the shore is steep; generally a depth of 100 fms. is found at one to two cables from the cliffs. In appearance it is somewhat saddle-shaped, rising from a long back in the middle, 700 to 800 feet high, to hills at the northeastern and at the western sides: the western summit is double, and is the best defined mark; its height is 1580 feet. The shape is irregular quadrilateral; it extends through 12' lat. and about the same in long. The island is densely wooded all over except where the cliffs are too steep to allow anything to grow. From the northern side the ascent is gradual to the highest parts ; but on the southern side, after rising gradually for half a mile from the sea-cliffs, a second wall of limestone cliffs is met, estimated at 200 to 300 feet high ; aud then slope goes on gently again to the top. |