~ 
é 
1824, by Mr. Moon, who was the Superintendent of the Bo- 
tanical Gardens,—a work which never was of much use, and 
which is now quite obsolete, for being merely a catalogue, there 
are no characters by which to recognise the species he has 
enumerated. As connected with these observations, I may re- 
mark that I am at present engaged in preparing a book which 
will contain descriptions of all the vegetable productions indige- 
nous to Ceylon, at least so far as I can obtain them, illustrated 
with coloured figures of some of the more rare, beautiful, or 
useful species. ‘This, however, will be a labour of several years 
to come, as I have still to explore different parts of the Island, 
the productions of which are totally unknown. 
The vegetation of all countries has its general character de- 
termined by two great principal causes—physical aspect and 
climate. The former having already been detailed in the pre- 
ceding geological sketch of the Island, I shall here offer a few 
remarks on the latter. The two monsoons which occupy the 
greater part of the year, materially influence the climate. That 
from the south-west lasts generally from April to September, 
while the north-east prevails from November to February, the 
intervening periods being subject to variable winds and calms. 
The western side of the Island, which is exposed to the south- 
west monsoon, enjoys a humid and temperate climate, similar to 
that of the Malabar coast ; while the eastern, which is open to the 
north-east monsoon, has a hot and dry climate, similar to that 
of the Coromandel coast. The seasons and climates of the south- 
west and north-east portions of the Island are therefore very dif- 
ferent. While on one side of the Island the rains are falling in 
torrents, the other is suffering from drought ; and it not un- 
frequently happens that the opposite sides of a single mountain 
exhibit at the same time these opposite states of climate. — 
The great variety of surface and of climate, then, which the 
Island possesses, is favourable not only to a varied, but to a 
luxuriant vegetation, especially in the central and southern dis- 
tricts. From the study of plants, taken in connexion with 
these circumstances and their various other physical conditions, 
has originated the science of Botanical Geography, one of 
the most interesting branches of botany, and which will no 
doubt throw much light on the laws which have regulated the 
production and dispersion of species. It is only of late years 
that attention has been given to this subject; for, till the 
natural productions of different parts of the surface of the 
globe came to be investigated with the attention and accuracy 
peculiar to the present age, naturalists rested satisfied with the 
