VEGETATION OF THE FEEJEE JSLANDS. 675 
stantly meeting with its fruit in the forest, nearly the size of 
the nutmeg of commerce, but somewhatlonger. Both it and 
the surrounding mace were entirely without aroma, Several 
persons on, finding these, thinking they had a prize, has- 
tened to eat them, but some soon after repented. "Those who 
went so far as to eat two, were soon after surprised by a vio- 
lent purging of the bowels, with disturbance of the stomach. 
A single one produced nausea, sensation of fullness, and 
flatus. 
Among the fruits brought to us by the natives were several 
distinct, and to us novel varieties of the plantain. 1. A large 
roundish (cylindrical) deep brick-red kind, with fissures on 
the surface, something like the fehi of Tahiti in appearance. 
2. A kind approaching the banana in taste and shape. 3. 
Some which were small and green when brought to us, almost 
cylindrical, the angles scarcely apparent, es pendant from 
the branch, and stem erect. 4. In size and appearance very 
like the last, but with the usual mode of growth and habit 
of the plantain. 
I have mentioned that the flowers displayed little brilliancy 
in their colours, and that white prevailed. In my observa- 
tions on the relative proportion of these, I find that the cya- 
nic series in the full number fifty is represented by 12, the 
xanthic by 23, and the blanched or white (a series not adopted 
in theory, but necessary in practice) by 15. In central 
America in 10° N.L., and, therefore, in a similar parallel, I 
found these series to be respectively 12, 30, and 8. And, 
again, in a high northern latitude, 57°, they were 26, 13, and 
ll. So that the latter situation, even in July vegetation, has 
a smaller proportion of the last series than has New Guinea. 
The Moluccas, or as the Dutch call them, Molukkos, are 
better known, and the vegetation of the more frequented 
islands has been carefully investigated by Rumphius. Almost 
my only botanical act here, was to visit the monument to the 
memory of this celebrated naturalist, in a garden at Amboina ; 
and which is kept in neat and clean repair. We cannot do 
otherwise than speak well of a climate which permits the nut- 
