81.-PUSTULARIA STAPHYLÆA.

Cypræa staphylæa, Linn. Gmel. 3419, No. 97.

Reeve, Conch. Icon., pl. 16, fig. 82b.

Sowerby, Thes. Conch., vol. 4, pl. 25, fig.

Hab. Darnley Island, Torres Straits, found in coral at low water; light coloured variety at 20 fathoms, sandy mud bottom; also off Shark Point, Port Jackson, 7 fathoms, mud bottom.

Bulla

FAMILY AMPHIPERASIDÆ.

82.-AMPHIPERAS OVUM.

ovum, Linn. Gmel. p. 3422, No. 1.

Ovula oviformis, Lam. Anim. Sans Vert., tome 6, p. 366. Ovulum ovum, Sowerby, Thes. Conch., vol. 2, p. 467, pl. 99, fig. 1, 2.

Hab. Darnley Island, Torres Straits; deep water near the edge of the Reefs.

83.-AMPHIPERAS ANGULOSA.

Ovula angulosa, Lam. Anim. Sans Vert., tome 7, p. 367.

costellata, Lam. Ann. du Mus., vol. 16, p. 110, No. 2. Ovulum angulosum, Sowerby, Thes. Conch., vol. 2, p. 467, pl. 99, fig. 4, 5.

Hab. Darnley Island, Torres Straits; found in deep water at the edge of the reefs.

84. AMPHIPERAS STRIATULA.

Ovulum striatulum, Sowerby, Thes. Conch., vol. 2, p. 472, pl. 101, fig. 85.

Hab. Katow, New Guinea, 8 fathoms, sandy mud bottom.

85.-AMPHIPERAS PUNCTATA.

Ovulum punctatum, Duclos., Mag. Zool., 1828.

Sowerby, Thes. Conch., vol. 2, p. 471, pl. 101,

Hab. Bet Island, Torres Straits, 11 fathoms, white sand bottom; Port Stephens, New South Wales (Brazier.)

86.-AMPHIPERAS BREVIS.

Ovulum breve, Sowerby, Thes. Conch., vol. 2, p. 469, pl. 101, fig. 70, 71.

Hab. Darnley Island, Torres Straits, 25, 30 fathoms, sandy bottom; Port Stephens, New South Wales (Brazier.)

87.-VOLVA VOLVA.

Bulla volva, Linn. Gmel., p. 3422, No. 2.

370.

Ovula volva, Lam. Anim., Sans Vert, tome 7, p. Ovulum volva, Sowerby, Thes. Conch., vol. 2, p. 482, pl. 99, fig. 6, 7, 8.

Birostra volva, Chenu, Manuel de Conch., part 1, p. 273, fig. 1794. Hab. Darnley Island, Torres Straits, 30 fathoms, sandy mud bottom; Port Stephens, New South Wales, living specimens washed on shore after gales (Brazier).

Notes on the Entomology of New Ireland. By WILLIAM
MACLEAY, F. L.S.

THE annually increasing intercourse between Australia and the Papuan and Polynesian regions has enabled us of late years to make ourselves well acquainted with their zoological and botanical productions. Englishmen have now succeeded in establishing themselves as missionaries or traders in one or more of the islands of almost every group from New Guinea on the West to the Society Islands on the East. Our present predominating influence in these seas should not, however, make us forget how much has been done in the cause of science by other countries and in other times. Until thirty years ago it was chiefly to France that the world was indebted for what was then known of the geography and natural history of the countries of the Pacific Ocean.

From the re-establishment of Constitutional Monarchy in 1816 to its fall in 1848, France was distinguished amongst nations for the many scientific expeditions sent out by the Government, and the magnificent publications in which the results of these voyages and travels were recorded.

Among those voyages which have been most productive of results, as far as the Australasian region is concerned, may be cited that of the corvette Uranie, under the command of M. L. de Freycinet, in the years 1817, 1818, 1819, and 1820; that of the corvette Coquille, commanded by M. Duperry in 1822, 1823, 1824, and 1825; that of the Astrolabe, commanded by M. Dumont D'Urville, in 1826, 1827, 1828, and 1829; and that of the corvettes L'Astrolabe and La Zelee, under the command of M. J. Dumont D'Urville, and M. Jacquinot, in the years 1837, 1838, 1839, and 1840.

The zoological collections made during these voyages were very considerable, and the results were worked out by the French naturalists of the day, and published with large Atlases of Plates, at the cost of the Government. I refer now to these voyages because I have lately become possessed of a collection of insects from an island which was visited by one of the abovenamed ships -the Coquille--in 1823, and which may be said not to have been visited since, as far as any observation of its natural history was concerned, until the latter part of last year and the first few months of the present. Mr. Cockerell, an ardent and experienced collector of natural objects, was permitted last year to accompany a Wesleyan mission to New Ireland, and he has now returned to Sydney, after several months residence on that island, with a valuable collection of animals of all orders. The mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish of Mr. Cockerell's collection have been secured for the Australian Museum by Mr. Ramsay, who, I doubt not, will give us some account of them. The insects were purchased by me, and the following notes are intended to give a general idea of the Entomological Fauna of the island.

As might be expected from its geographical position, the insects of New Ireland belong almost entirely to families and

forms to be found either in Papua or Polynesia, but with I think a somewhat stronger affinity to the Fauna of the Polynesian subregion.

The Coleoptera seem, as in all of these islands, to be few in point of species, though frequently of great size and beauty. The Cicendelidæ are represented by three species: a Cicindela, species doubtful, Therates labiatus, and Tricondyla aptera. There is only one species of the family of Carabidæ, so numerous in other parts of the globe. It resembles a Lesticus. A species of Passandra, four species of Passalus, and two of the Lucanidæ, seem to resemble those of the Solomon Islands, but I have not yet examined them closely. The Lamellicornes consist of six species. Of these four belong to the Dynastidae, and are of large size-one very similar to the Australian Scapanes solidarius. The other two species are a Silphodes, and a large Melolontha. There are two handsome species of Buprestidæ, both of the Chrysodema group. The Elaterida are represented by two species of Alaus. The Cleride by a Cylidris and an Omadius. There are two species of the Bostrychidae-small wood-borers of the genus Apate.

The Heteromera number only six species. A large Nyctobates, an Asida, three species of Amarygmus, and a peculiar form of Cistela.

There are in all fourteen species of the Curculionidae, three of the Rhinoscapha or Eupholus group, two of Pachyrhynchus, one Orthorhinus, one Lixus, one near Tranes, three Cryptorhynchida, one Zygops, one Rhyncophorus, and one Sipalus. There are six species of the Brenthidae, all apparently common forms, and one of the Anthribida, a distinctly Polynesian form. As in all these countries, however, the Longicornia take the first place as regards size, beauty, and number. Among them there is a Batocera, to which even the huge B. Wallacei, of New Guinea, must yield the palm. One specimen is more than three inches and a half long, and its antennæ are fully three times that length. In all there are four species of Batocera, thirteen species of other Lamiida, for the most part large and showy insects, one Parandra, two Prionida, one of large size, and a few small Cerambycidæ, of

genera with which I am unacquainted. Three or four species of very ordinary looking Phytophaga complete the Coleoptera.

The collection of LEPIDOPTERA is limited almost entirely to the diurnal species, but these are remarkable even in comparison with the butterflies of New Guinea for their beauty and variety. There are many fine specimens of a green Ornithoptera of great size. The females measure nine inches from tip to tip of the wings, and have a paler and more diaphanous colouration than the females of O. Priamus. There are also several fine specimens of Ornithoptera Urrilliana Guer, a blue species brought from Port Praslin by the Coquille, fifty-five years ago. A very good figure of this insect is given in the Atlas of Plates, published with the "Natural History of the Voyage of the Coquille."

Besides these there are eight species of Papilio, P. Polydorus, or a variety of it, P. Ormenus, a species somewhat resembling P. Ambrax, a variety of P. Ulysses, probably the Penelope of Wallace; P. Sarpedon; two species of the P. Agamemnon group, one of them, I believe, to be P. Wallacei, the other is probably new; and a very fine species resembling P. codrus.

The Pierida are poor, and very ordinary looking. One species of Tachyris, two of Terias, and one Callidryas, complete the list of them. Among the Nymphalida are Cethosia obscura, Guerin-one of the Coquille insects of 1823, and figured in the Atlas to that voyage, Junonia Vellida, Precis Zelima, Rhinopalpa Sabina, Cram., (figured and described in the voyage of the Coquille, under the name of Vanessa Amelia), Messaras Lampetia, Cynthia Arsine. a species of Neptis, Apaturina Erminia, Cram., a species of Adolias, one of Cyrestis, Diadema Misippus, Diadema Alimena, and a magnificent cream-coloured butterfly, which I imagine must be also a species of Diadema.

The Morphina are represented by numerous specimens of Drusilla Catops. Of the Satyrina there are six species, Melanitis amabilis, Boid; three species of Mycalesis, all unknown to me; and two species of Ypthima, or an allied genus.

The Danaida, as is usual in these latitudes, are well represented. There are six species of Euplaa, two of Danais, and one