308 THE VOYAGE OE H.M.S. CHALLENGER. 



Myristica sp. 



The nutmegs are all probably of one species, and the pericarp has quite disappeared in 

 all cases, yet the seeds appear to be sound. 



Laurineae. 



There are two different exalbuminous seeds, with large hemispherical cotyledons, which 

 probably belong to this order. 



Phyllanthus sp. ? 

 A single fruit. 



S3 



Clinogyne grandis, Benth. et Hook. f. 



One fruit of this scitamineous plant, which is common in the region. 



Gnetum spp. 



There are several fruits of two distinct species of this genus, neither of which we can 

 match. They are both large fruits, and oblong in shape, the larger being one inch and a 

 quarter long in its present condition, and two inches and a half in circumference. The 

 albumen of these seeds is exceedingly hard, and cuts like resin. 



There are two fruits of another genus, the affinities of which Ave have failed to 

 discover. 



Other records ef various fruits being found in the crops of pigeons are : — 

 Baron Mueller (Vegetation of the Chatham Islands, p. 14) states that a large pigeon 

 finds plentiful food on the fruit of the Karaka tree (Corynocarpus Icevigata, Forst), a 

 common tree in New Zealand, especially near the sea ; but found nowhere else except in 

 the Chatham Islands, where, however, it is said to form the largest part of the forest. 

 And Wallace (Malay Archipelago, ii. p. 61) mentions that the fleshy outer covering of the 

 Kanari (Canarium commune) is the favourite food of the great green pigeons (Carpophaga 

 perspicillata) of Batchian. This tree is widely dispersed in Tropical Asia, but it is 

 cultivated only in some parts. In the Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Society of 

 New South Wales, xvii. p. 22G, Dr Guppy records finding fruits of an Elceocarpus and 

 a palm, probably a species of Kentia, in the crops of pigeons shot on a small island off the 

 coast of San Christoval, Solomon Islands. In the Kew Museum are fruits of Oncocarpus 

 vkiensis, A. Gr., from the gizzard and crop of Carpophaga latrans in the Fijis, presented 

 by Professor Garrod ; the fruit of Gnetum gnemonf from the crop of a fruit pigeon in New 

 Guinea, and a species of Flcus from the same source, in Mysore, presented by W. A. 

 Forbes, Esq. 



