VEGETATION OF THE FEEJEE ISLANDS. 6;3 
to our own experience and appearances on shore, the climate 
must be a very moist one. The luxuriant foliage, rapid decay 
of the trees, numerous fungi, and the multitudes of land 
shells, all show a continued state of humidity. Forest covers 
the whole surface, for not a bare spot is to be seen; the trees 
are extremely lofty, rising to a great height, in straight clear 
stems, but not of large size. Beneath and among the trees 
the forest is very open, scarcely possessing the least under- 
wood or any other vegetation. About the shores, where 
freely exposed to light, a few trees bore flowers, but there was 
generally too much luxuriance in the vegetation to permit of 
the ready developement ofthe reproductive organs. Though 
the climate is so moist, the herbaceous vegetation is propor- - 
tionately small; attributable to the shade universally afforded 
by the trees. Palms are now becoming more numerous in 
Areca and Caryota; Cycas? is frequent for the first time, 
and also several species of Pandanus, individuals of which 
are very numerous in the more rocky situations. There are 
at least two species of Myristica in the forest, one having a 
small oblong fruit, with a deep red mace, and only of slight 
fragance or aroma ; the other larger and rounder, with the 
mace of a pale colour. Carteret mentions a small dainty 
fruit, but without givingit a name; it is evidently a Spondias 
with an acid taste and bony structure, and every way inferior 
to the Vi of the Society islands. Ferns are numerous, and 
with a character and habit recalling the Brazils, but few were 
in fructification. Species of Ficus enter largely into the com- 
position of the forest, and twining plants also abound. Or- 
chidee also begin to appear in characteristic numbers. 
New Guinea, or, more properly Papua, possesses the variety 
of climate of which we have been speaking, in its intensity. 
Throughout our visit the weather was far from agreeable, be- 
ing very fluctuating in its character, with heavy rains at inter- 
vals. The temperature was always high, and from its humi- 
dity the atmosphere felt very close and oppressive. Every 
evening there occurred more or less thunder and lightning. 
Rain was frequent with squalls of wind; but prevailed more 
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