utterly worthless. We have had a son of Mr Veitch, the seedsman, here lately. He worked hard at ferns for some months, and though much disappointed at getting nothing new, contrived with infinite trouble to collect many lovely things, all of which are now at the bottom of the sea, he having got wrecked on one of his expeditions—very trying! Tell your mother I have never yet had a chance of despatching her pottery, but it is greatly to her advantage, as I have gone on picking up bits here and there, and the case now contains nearly double as many specimens as when I first wrote to her. Mail closing—so good-bye. * * * * * NASOVA, _June 3_. If a heavenly climate, with balmy breezes, could make us happy, we are now enjoying these in perfection; but, alas! we are very down-hearted. It seems as if all our friends were forsaking us. We went yesterday to say good-bye to the Layards, he having been appointed Consul in New Caledonia. I shall miss them exceedingly. Their house was always an attractive point for a walk, which was invariably rewarded by seeing some interesting specimen of ornithology, or learning some point in natural history, on which Mr Layard is a first-rate authority. Our last afternoon together was devoted to an awful and solemn experiment. We resolved that we must bring ourselves to taste Bêches-de-mer soup (you know about the horrible-looking black sea-slugs, so precious to the Chinese, and which are so largely exported from here?). Well, Mr Layard commissioned Houng Lee, a Chinaman living in Levuka, to make a large tureen of this soup, and bring it to his house at luncheon-time. Very dubiously did we venture on the first spoonful; on the second still with caution: on the third with avidity. Finally, we forgot all about the hideous slugs, and with one accord returned for a second helping, and agreed that we had thoroughly enjoyed our luncheon. Now, alas! all our pleasant experiments are over—the big tumble-down old house, with the familiar pier, are deserted; and at this very moment the Layards are in the act of sailing out of harbour in H.M.S. Barracouta.