Flowers, of delicious fragrance, are sold about the streets, to adorn the dark forms of the Javanese females, or lavish their fragrance upon the fairer Batavians, who are extravagantly fond of this article of luxury. The animals of Java are very numerous, the island being rich in zoological and botanical productions; the small or Java rhinoceros is numerous about Ceram, in the district of Bantam; it is often shot, but all endeavours to procure living specimens have as yet failed. Tigers are also numerous, and consist of three species, the _Matchan Itum_, or black tiger; the _Matchan Toetoel_, or leopard; and the _Matchan Loreng_, or royal striped tiger. There are two species of doves seen in great numbers about the habitations of the Javanese; one being small, the other of a delicate cream colour, with a narrow black semicircular mark about the neck. The small species (which is most esteemed) is called “Perkutut” by the Javanese, and the larger one “Puter.” Conversing with a Javanese about them, he appeared delighted to give me some account of his pets; seeing them attended with so much care I inquired the reason of their being such favourites, in preference to birds of far more beautiful plumage, so abundant on this magnificent and fertile island? In answer to my inquiry he informed me, that, “when these birds are kept about the house, it will not be destroyed by fire, or be liable to the depredations of thieves:” as an instance of their having this power, should I be sceptical on the subject, he gravely assured me that during the heavy rains in Feb. 1832, when most of the houses were inundated, one was preserved from the flood by this bird being within, the water flowed round the habitation, but did not enter! When the birds are kept in a state of confinement, it is said by the Javanese, that they pass small green stones, sometimes one every week, and continuing for one or two years; these stones are much esteemed, valued as high as thirty and forty rupees each, and are set in rings, &c. The stones, according to native information, are always _passed_ upon a _Friday_; (which is the Javanese Sunday;) some set as high a value upon their birds as fifty and one hundred rupees each. The natives never eat them; a European, at one time, shot some, and gave them to his Javanese servant to eat, not being aware of their veneration for them, but he would not touch them. Every _Friday_ they take the birds out of the cages, wash them in rice-water, at the same time administering some small pills, (composed of such a multiplicity of medicinal ingredients, that my Javanese informant said, it would take too long a time to give me the names of the whole,) otherwise the birds would not live; for if they were not washed, and did not take the physic, they would have small white worms in the corner of the eyes and in the nostrils, which would soon destroy them.