512 MR. J. J. LISTER ON THE NATURAL [DeC. 4, 4. On the Natural History of Christmas Island, in the Indian Ocean. By J. J. Lister, M.A., F.Z.S. [Keceived October 15, 1888.] (Plates XXVI. & XXVII.) I. Introduction, p. 512. II. Ehysical Features, p. 513. III. Geological History, p. 515. IV. Vegetation, p. 515. V. Mammals, p. 516. VI. Birds, p. 517. VII. Reptiles, p. 529. VIII. Crustaceans, p. 529. IX. Conclusion, p. 530. I. INTRODUCTION. H.M. Surveying-vessel ' Egeria ' left Batavia early on the morning of the 27th September, 1887, to carry a Hne of deep soundings across the Indian Ocean to Mauritius and to visit Christmas Island on the way. In January of the same year a short visit had been paid to the island by H.M. Surveying-vessel 'Flying-Fish.' The collections which were made on that occasion exhibited a remarkable degree of peculiarity in the animal inhabitants' and showed that a longer visit to the island would probably yield some interesting results. I was appointed by the Lords of the Admiralty to join the ' Egeria ' as naturalist during this part of her cruise, and went out from England to Colombo, where 1 found that she had already arrived. On the way to Batavia we crossed the Bay of Bengal and passed along the Straits of Malacca to Singapore, and thence through tlie narrow channel between Banca and Sumatra to Batavia. Leaving Batavia we entered the Straits of Suuda. To the east the Javan hills sloped steeply to the sea, scored with many valleys and ridges, and the rich red volcanic earth brightly variegated with green crops. At their feet was the town of Anjer and the line of coast which suffered so terribly from the explosion of Krakatao in 1883, while above the first of the great conical mountains of Java now and then loomed out from the clouds. To the westward and more distant a high volcanic peak on Sumatra rose above the nearer islands, and later in the day Krakatoa itself was seen, a simple conical mass with a white cloud drifting away from the top, appearing and disappearing at intervals. The ne.xt day we had left the smooth, shallow, green seas through which we had passed ever since rounding Acheen Head at the N.W. end of Sumatra and were bouncing about in deep blue water as the 'Egeria' steamed slowly south against the wind, That day a sound-ing was made and bottom reached at 1400 odd fathoms. At daylight on Friday, September 30th, Christmas Island was in sight. In the distance it appeared as a long dark strip against the sky with the sides rising moderately steeply, a shallow saddle in the ^ A Report on the collections made on tLiat occasion, including Captai Maclear's Report, appeared in the Proceedings of this Society for 1887 (p. 507
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