Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Butterflies were not abundant, but I obtained a few more of the fine blue Papilio, and a
number of beautiful little Lycænidæ, as well as a single specimen of the very rare Papilio
Wallacei, of which I had taken the hitherto unique specimen in the Aru Islands.
The most interesting birds I obtained here, were the beautiful blue kingfisher,
Todiramphus diops; the fine green and purple doves, Ptilonopus superbus and P. iogaster,
and several new birds of small size. My shooters still brought me in specimens of the Semi-
optera Wallacei, and I was greatly excited by the positive statements of several of the native
hunters that another species of this bird existed, much handsomer and more remarkable.
They declared that the plumage was glossy black, with metallic green breast as in my spe-
cies, but that the white shoulder plumes were twice as long, and hung down far below the
body of the bird. They declared that when hunting pigs or deer far in the forest they occa-
sionally saw this bird, but that it was rare. I immediately offered twelve guilders (a pound)
for a specimen; but all in vain, and I am to this day uncertain whether such a bird exists.
Since I left, the German naturalist, Dr. Bernstein, stayed many months in the island with a
large staff of hunters collecting for the Leyden Museum; and as he was not more successful
than myself, we must consider either that the bird is very rare, or is altogether a myth.
Batchian is remarkable as being the most eastern point on the globe inhabited by any of
the Quadrumana. A large black baboon-monkey (Cynopithecus nigrescens) is abundant in
some parts of the forest. This animal has bare red callosities, and a rudimentary tail about an
inch long—a mere fleshy tubercle, which may be very easily overlooked. It is the same spe-
cies that is found all over the forests of Celebes, and as none of the other Mammalia of that
island extend into Batchian I am inclined to suppose that this species has been accidentally
introduced by the roaming Malays, who often carry about with them tame monkeys and oth-
er animals. This is rendered more probable by the fact that the animal is not found in Gilolo,
which is only separated from Batchian by a very narrow strait. The introduction may have
been very recent, as in a fertile and unoccupied island such an animal would multiply rap-
idly. The only other mammals obtained were an eastern opossum, which Dr. Gray has de-
scribed as Cuscus ornatus; the little flying opossum, Belideus ariel; a Civet cat, Viverra zeb-
etha; and nine species of bats, most of the smaller ones being caught in the dusk with my
butterfly net as they flew about before the house.
After much delay, owing to bad weather and the illness of one of my men, I determined to
visit Kasserota (formerly the chief village), situated up a small stream, on an island close to
the north coast of Batchian; where I was told that many rare birds were found. After my
boat was loaded and everything ready, three days of heavy squalls prevented our starting,
and it was not till the 21st of March that we got away. Early next morning we entered the
