292 PARIWAEA ISLANDS. 



diy at low water^ and in crossing- it in the boat very 

 little live coral was observed^ except on the outer 

 maro'iii, outside of which the bottom is a tenacious 

 raud^ effervescing" on the application of hydrochloric 

 acid. 



I collected a few plants^ among which are a 

 3^ellow flowered Cleome^ a purple Pongamia^ ConvoU 

 villus multivalvisy Evolvulus mllosuSy Guettarda 

 speciosaj ^'c. The only birds seen were a white- 

 headed eagle and an osprey^ neither of which were 

 molested although the latter frequently came within 

 shot; and followed me as if from motives of curiosity. 

 Almost the only insects seen were small g'rass- 

 hopperS; rising' in numbers at every step^ and gTeen 

 ants which have nests in the bushes^ and appear 

 identical with those of the Louisiade and Australia. 

 No fresh water was found here. Some recent 

 traces of natives were met with — includino- two 

 fire places where turtle and fish had been cooked 

 on a fi'amework of sticks over a fire^ — precisely 

 similar to one of large size^ formerly seen on the 

 Duchateau Islands. I saw many places where 

 turtle eg'gs had been dug* out of the sand behind 

 the beach; where besides were numerous burrows of 

 a maritime crab [Ocypocle cursor), which also 

 appeared to feed upon the eg'gs— judging* from the 

 quantity of empty shells about the holes of those 

 creatures. 



Of the two remaining- islands of the gToup^ one^ 

 less than a quarter of a mile long*; is covered with 



