sound, they may afterwards put forth new shoots. However, the appearance of this insect does not seem to be the primary cause of the disease of the trees,—on the contrary, disease is the cause of the appearance of the insect. If the other trees prove to be successfully reared, the insect will disappear, since it was convincingly proved by one of our zoologists that it had not come to the country with the Cinchona seeds and plants, but was undoubtedly indigenous to Java.
Altogether there were, in May, 1858, upon the whole island three quinquina plantations, which have been specially established with a view to the solution of certain questions of climate at various elevations, and are situated in the following localities:—
1. In Tjipodas at the foot of Gunung Gedeh (4400 to 4800 feet above sea-level), in a beautiful Liquid-ambar forest, and containing 80 plants.
2. In Bengalenzong, on the declivities of the Malabar Range (4000 to 7000 feet in height), in the midst of a considerable oak forest (Quercus fagifolia), containing 600 plants.
3. South of Besuki on the Ajang Range (about 6800 feet above sea-level), in a plantation[51] containing 21 plants, to which Dr. Junghuhn gave the name of Wono Djampie, i. e. Forest of medicines.
The Dutch Government has spared neither trouble nor expense, and has made considerable sacrifices, to bring over the quinquina plant from its native country, where it was believed to be threatened with utter destruction, to Java, there to be acclimatized. The chances in favour of an adequate return are very great, and the attainment of this object has been secured within certain limits. Of all the tropical regions we visited, the Island of Java seems by its natural advantages to be the best capable of affording to the tree which produces the febrifuge bark, so invaluable a boon of nature to suffering humanity, a second home, amid the magnificent scenery of its mountain ranges.
However, the wide-spread idea that the China plant is exposed to utter extinction in its native land of Peru has proved to be quite unfounded. We shall revert to this subject when we come to treat of our visit to the western coast of South America, and shall take pains to solve at least some portion of the question in dispute, as to certain necessary conditions being requisite to be observed in the case of the quinquina plant in its original home, the investigation of which, the superintendent of the quinquina tree culture in Java, Dr. Franz Junghuhn, so earnestly commended to the attention of the scientific members of the Novara Expedition.
However, our interest was not confined to these China-tree plantations; our attention was riveted by the marvellous Rasamala (Liquid-ambar) forest in which we now found ourselves, while those fond of the chase were not less amazed
and gratified, at bringing down a splendid specimen of what is known as the Kalong or Roussette Bat (Pteropus vulgaris). These singular nocturnal animals hang in enormous quantities throughout the entire day from the branches of the trees, amid the profoundest stillness, till evening sets in and dismisses them to their nightly evolutions. They are then visible flying through the air like gigantic bats, or flying foxes.