第 47 节
作者:
负债赌博 更新:2021-02-19 01:14 字数:9321
with a green stripe across them; giving the insect a very elegant and singular appearance。 The third species (Elaphomia alcicornis; the elk… horned deer…fly) is a little smaller than the two already described; but resembling in colour Elaphomia wallacei。 The horns are very remarkable; being suddenly dilated into a flat plate; strongly toothed round the outer margin; and strikingly resembling the horns of the elk; after which it has been named。 They are of a yellowish colour; margined with brown; and tipped with black on the three upper teeth。 The fourth species (Elaphomia brevicornis; the short…horned deer…fly) differs considerably from the rest。 It is stouter in form; of a nearly black colour; with a yellow ring at the base of the abdomen; the wings have dusky stripes; and the head is compressed and dilated laterally; with very small flat horns; which are black with a pale centre; and look exactly like the rudiment of the horns of the two preceding species。 None of the females have any trace of the horns; ane Mr。 Saunders places in the same genus a species which has no horns in either sex (Elaphomia polita)。 It is of a shining black colour; and resembles Elaphomia cervicornis in form; size; and general appearance。 The figures above given represent these insects of their natural size and in characteristic attitudes。
The natives seldom brought me anything。 They are poor creatures; and; rarely shoot a bird; pig; or kangaroo; or even the sluggish opossum…like Cuscus。 The tree…kangaroos are found here; but must be very scarce; as my hunters; although out daily in the forest; never once saw them。 Cockatoos; lories; and parroquets were really the only common birds。 Even pigeons were scarce; and in little variety; although we occasionally got the fine crown pigeon; which was always welcome as an addition to our scantily furnished larder。
Just before the steamer arrived I had wounded my ankle by clambering among the trunks and branches of fallen trees (which formed my best hunting grounds for insects); and; as usual with foot wounds in this climate; it turned into an obstinate ulcer; keeping me in the house for several days。 When it healed up it was followed by an internal inflammation of the foot; which by the doctor's advice I poulticed incessantly for four or five days; bringing out a severe inflamed swelling on the tendon above the heel。 This had to be leeched; and lanced; and doctored with ointments and poultices for several weeks; till I was almost driven to despair;for the weather was at length fine; and I was tantalized by seeing grand butterflies flying past my door; and thinking of the twenty or thirty new species of insects that I ought to be getting every day。 And this; too; in New Guineaa country which I might never visit again;a country which no naturalist had ever resided in before;a country which contained more strange and new and beautiful natural objects than any other part of the globe。 The naturalist will be able to appreciate my feelings; sitting from morning to night in my little hut; unable to move without a crutch; and my only solace the birds my hunters brought in every afternoon; and the few insects caught by my Ternate man; Lahagi; who now went out daily in my place; but who of course did not get a fourth part of what I should have obtained。 To add to my troubles all my men were more or less ill; some with fever; others with dysentery or ague; at one time there were three of them besides myself all helpless; the coon alone being well; and having enough to do to wait upon us。 The Prince of Tidore and the Resident of Panda were both on board the steamer; and were seeking Birds of Paradise; sending men round in every direction; so that there was no chance of my getting even native skins of the rarer kinds; and any birds; insects; or animals the Dorey people had to sell were taken on board the steamer; where purchasers were found for everything; and where a larger variety of articles were offered in exchange than I had to show。
After a month's close confinement in the house I was at length able to go out a little; and about the same time I succeeded in getting a boat and six natives to take Ali and Lahagi to Amberbaki; and to bring them back at the end of a month。 Ali was charged to buy all the Birds of Paradise he could get; and to shoot and skin all other rare or new birds; and Lahagi was to collect insects; which I hoped might be more abundant than at Dorey。 When I recommenced my daily walks in search of insects; I found a great change in the neighbourhood; and one very agreeable to me。 All the time I had been laid up the ship's crew and the Javanese soldiers who had been brought in a tender (a sailing ship which had arrived soon after the Etna); had been employed cutting down; sawing; and splitting large trees for firewood; to enable the steamer to get back to Amboyna if the coal…ship did not return; and they had also cleared a number of wide; straight paths through the forest in various directions; greatly to the astonishment of the natives; who could not make out what it all meant。 I had now a variety of walks; and a good deal of dead wood on which to search for insects; but notwithstanding these advantages; they were not nearly so plentiful as I had found them at Sarawak; or Amboyna; or Batchian; confirming my opinion that Dorey was not a good locality。 It is quite probable; however; that at a station a few miles in the interior; away from the recently elevated coralline rocks and the influence of the sea air; a much more abundant harvest might be obtained。
One afternoon I went on board the steamer to return the captain's visit; and was shown some very nice sketches (by one of the lieutenants); made on the south coast; and also at the Arfak mountain; to which they had made an excursion。 From these and the captain's description; it appeared that the people of Arfak were similar to those of Dorey; and I could hear nothing of the straight…haired race which Lesson says inhabits the interior; but which no one has ever seen; and the account of which I suspect has originated in some mistake。 The captain told me he had made a detailed survey of part of the south coast; and if the coal arrived should go away at once to Humboldt Pay; in longitude 141° east; which is the line up to which the Dutch claim New Guinea。 On board the tender I found a brother naturalist; a German named Rosenberg; who was draughtsman to the surveying staff。 He had brought two men with him to shoot and skin birds; and had been able to purchase a few rare skins from the natives。 Among these was a pair of the superb Paradise Pie (Astrapia nigra) in tolerable preservation。 They were brought from the island of Jobie; which may be its native country; as it certainly is of the rarer species of crown pigeon (Goura steursii); one of which was brought alive and sold on board。 Jobie; however; is a very dangerous place; and sailors are often murdered there when on shore; sometimes the vessels themselves being attacked。 Wandammen; on the mainland opposite Jobie; inhere there are said to be plenty of birds; is even worse; and at either of these places my life would not have been worth a week's purchase had I ventured to live alone and unprotected as at Dorey。 On board the steamer they had a pair of tree kangaroos alive。 They differ chiefly from the ground…kangaroo in having a more hairy tail; not thickened at the base; and not used as a prop; and by the powerful claws on the fore…feet; by which they grasp the bark and branches; and seize the leaves on which they feed。 They move along by short jumps on their hind…feet; which do not seem particularly well adapted for climbing trees。 It has been supposed that these tree…kangaroos are a special adaptation to the swampy; half…drowned forests of; New Guinea; in place of the usual form of the group; which is adapted only to dry ground。 Mr。 Windsor Earl makes much of this theory; but; unfortunately for it; the tree…kangaroos are chiefly found in the northern peninsula of New Guinea; which is entirely composed of hills and mountains with very little flat land; while the kangaroo of the low flat Aru Islands (Dorcopsis asiaticus) is a ground species。 A more probable supposition seems to lie; that the tree…kangaroo has been modified to enable it to feed on foliage in the vast forests of New Guinea; as these form the great natural feature which distinguishes that country from Australia。
On June 5th; the coal…ship arrived; having been sent back from Amboyna; with the addition of some fresh stores for the steamer。 The wood; which had been almost all taken on board; was now unladen again; the coal taken in; and on the 17th both steamer and tender left for Humboldt Bay。 We were then a little quiet again; and got something to eat; for while the vessels were here every bit of fish or vegetable was taken on board; and I had often to make a small parroquet serve for two meals。 My men now returned from Amberbaki; but; alas brought me almost nothing。 They had visited several villages; and even went two days' journey into the interior; but could find no skins of Birds of Paradise to purchase; except the common kind; and very few even of those。 The birds found were the same as at Dorey; but were still scarcer。 None of the na