The Malay archipelago : the land of the orang-utan ... - Wallace Online

98 THE MALAY ARCHIPELAGO. [chap.lack of paths to get about in any direction. Altogether it is thevery country that would jDromise most for a naturalist, and Ifeel sure that at a more favourable time of year it would proveexceedingly rich ; but it was now the rainy season, when, in thevery best of localities, insects are always scarce, and there beingno fruit on the trees there was also a scarcity of birds. Duringa month's collecting, I added only three or four new species tomy list of birds, although I obtained very fine specimens ofmany which ^vere rare and interesting. In butterflies I wasDIFFEEENT FEMALES OF PAPILIO MEMNON.rather more successful, obtaining several fine species quite newto me, and a considerable number of very rare and beautifulinsects. I will give here some account of two species of butterflies,which, though very common in collections, present us withpeculiarities of the highest interest.The first is tlie handsome Papilio memnon, a splendid butterflyof a deep black colour, dotted over with lines and groups ofscales of a clear ashy blue. Its wings are five inches in expanseand the hind wings are rounded, with scalloped edges. This