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dry and forbidding； covered with dusty stubble and weeds。 A few months back these were a mass of verdure； and their barren appearance at this season offered a striking contrast to the perpetual crops on the same kind of country in Lombock and Bali； where the seasons are exactly similar； but where an elaborate system of irrigation produces the effect of a perpetual spring。
The day after my arrival I paid a visit of ceremony to the Governor； accompanied by my friend the Danish merchant； who spoke excellent English。 His Excellency was very polite； and offered me every facility for travelling about the country and prosecuting my researches in natural history。 We conversed in French； which all Dutch officials speak very well。
Finding it very inconvenient and expensive to stay in the town； I removed at the end of a week to a little bamboo house； kindly offered me by Mr。 Mesman。 It was situated about two miles away； on a small coffee plantation and farm； and about a mile beyond Mr。 M。's own country…house。 It consisted of two rooms raised about seven feet above the ground； the lower part being partly open （and serving excellently to skin birds in） and partly used as a granary for rice。 There was a kitchen and other outhouses； and several cottages nearby； occupied by men in Mr。 M。's employ。
After being settled a few days in my new house； I found that no collections could be made without going much further into the country。 The rice…fields for some miles around resembled English stubbles late in autumn； and were almost as unproductive of bird or insect life。 There were several native villages scattered about； so embosomed in fruit trees that at a distance they looked like clumps or patches of forest。 These were my only collecting places； but they produced a very limited number of species； and were soon exhausted。 Before I could move to any more promising district it was necessary to obtain permission from the Rajah of Goa； whose territories approach to within two miles of the town of Macassar。 I therefore presented myself at the Governor's office and requested a letter to the Rajah； to claim his protection； and permission to travel in his territories whenever I might wish to do so。 This was immediately granted； and a special messenger was sent with me to carry the letter。
My friend Mr。 Mesman kindly lent me a horse； and accompanied me on my visit to the Rajah； with whom he was great friends。 We found his Majesty seated out of doors； watching the erection of a new house。 He was naked from the waist up； wearing only the usual short trousers and sarong。 Two chairs were brought out for us； but all the chiefs and other natives were seated on the ground。 The messenger； squatting down at the Rajah's feet； produced the letter； which was sewn up in a covering of yellow silk。 It was handed to one of the chief officers； who ripped it open and returned it to the Rajah； who read it； and then showed it to Mr。 M。； who both speaks and reads the Macassar language fluently； and who explained fully what I required。 Permission was immediately granted me to go where I liked in the territories of Goa； but the Rajah desired； that should I wish to stay any time at a place I would first give him notice； in order that he might send someone to see that no injury was done me。 Some wine was then brought us； and afterwards some detestable coffee and wretched sweetmeats； for it is a fact that I have never tasted good coffee where people grow it themselves。
Although this was the height of the dry season； and there was a fine wind all day； it was by no means a healthy time of year。 My boy Ali had hardly been a day on shore when he was attacked by fever； which put me to great inconvenience； as at the house where I was staying； nothing could be obtained but at mealtime。 After having cured Ali； and with much difficulty got another servant to cook for me； I was no sooner settled at my country abode than the latter was attacked with the same disease； and； having a wife in the town； left me。 Hardly was he gone than I fell ill myself with strong intermittent fever every other day。 In about a week I got over it； by a liberal use of quinine； when scarcely was I on my legs than Ali again became worse than ever。 Ali's fever attacked him daily； but early in the morning he was pretty well； and then managed to cook enough for me for the day。 In a week I cured him； and also succeeded in getting another boy who could cook and shoot； and had no objection to go into the interior。 His name was Baderoon； and as he was unmarried and had been used to a roving life； having been several voyages to North Australia to catch trepang or 〃beche de mer〃； I was in hopes of being able to keep him。 I also got hold of a little impudent rascal of twelve or fourteen； who could speak some Malay； to carry my gun or insect… net and make himself generally useful。 Ali had by this time become a pretty good bird…skinner； so that I was fairly supplied with servants。
I made many excursions into the country； in search of a good station for collecting birds and insects。 Some of the villages a few miles inland are scattered about in woody ground which has once been virgin forest； but of which the constituent trees have been for the most part replaced by fruit trees； and particularly by the large palm； Arenga saccharifera； from which wine and sugar are made； and which also produces a coarse black fibre used for cordage。 That necessary of life； the bamboo； has also been abundantly planted。 In such places I found a good many birds； among which were the fine cream…coloured pigeon； Carpophaga luctuosa； and the rare blue…headed roller； Coracias temmincki； which has a most discordant voice； and generally goes in pairs； flying from tree to tree； and exhibiting while at rest that all… in…a…heap appearance and jerking motion of the head and tail which are so characteristic of the great Fissirostral group to which it belongs。 From this habit alone； the kingfishers； bee… eaters； rollers； trogons； and South American puff…birds； might be grouped together by a person who had observed them in a state of nature； but who had never had an opportunity of examining their form and structure in detail。 Thousands of crows； rather smaller than our rook； keep up a constant cawing in these plantations； the curious wood…swallows （Artami）； which closely resemble swallows in their habits and flight but differ much in form and structure； twitter from the tree…tops； while a lyre…tailed drongo…shrike； with brilliant black plumage and milk…white eyes； continually deceives the naturalist by the variety of its unmelodious notes。
In the more shady parts butterflies were tolerably abundant； the most common being species of Euplaea and Danais； which frequent gardens and shrubberies； and owing to their weak flight are easily captured。 A beautiful pale blue and black butterfly； which flutters along near the ground among the thickets； and settles occasionally upon flowers； was one of the most striking； and scarcely less so； was one with a rich orange band on a blackish groundthese both belong to the Pieridae； the group that contains our common white butterflies； although differing so much from them in appearance。 Both were quite new to Eur