20 MB. H. N". EIDLET ON THE 



tion and the Kew Herbarium. From tlie piiblislied descriptions 

 there seems to have been little alteration since the time of 

 TJlloa's visit in the appearance of the island. 



Besides the sjiecimens of plants and animals mentioned above 

 as having been collected by Webster, Darwin, and Moseley, 

 there is a small early collection of seven specimens of plants 

 in the British Museum by an unknown collector, a])parently a 

 foreigner, and a single specimen of Capparis Gynopliallo^liora, 

 from Capt. Middleton, at Kew. 



SUMMAET. 



The whole group of islands possesses certain characteristics 

 common to all truly oceanic islands, and some of those which 

 are merely the relics of vanished continents. In the first 

 place, there is the absence of indigenous mammals, and more 

 noticeably of bats, of freshwater fish, and amphibians. Again, 

 the number of indigenous species, both of plants and animals, is 

 very small, while the number of individuals is very large. The 

 insects are small and dull in colour, and but few of the plants 

 have showy flowers, white and yellow being prevailing colours. 

 A considerable proportion of the indigenous plants are shrubbj^ 

 or arboreous, as in many other oceanic islands ; but arboreous or 

 even shrubby Compositse do not exist, indigenous species of the 

 group being rare in the islands. 



POLYPETAL.ffi. 

 CAPPAEIDEJE. 



Cappabis Ctnophallophoba, L. Sj). pi. p. 721 ; Jacq. Am. PI. 

 p. 158; :EicJd. in Mart. Fl. Bras. xiii. 1. p. 282. 



A common shrub on the main island, especially in the Sapate 

 and near Tobacco Point. It is also occurs on Sella Giueta. It 

 attains a height of about 12 feet ; but in open spots is much 

 smaller. During our visit it was hardly in flower, very many 

 plants showing no signs even of buds. One fruiting specimen 

 occurred ; but from the number of seedlings in some spots, there 

 can be little doubt it fruits extensively at some seasons. The 

 flowers are white and fugacious. The fruit a soft pulpy red pod. 

 The plant is much infested with galls. It is called " Feijao de 

 lenha." 



It was also obtained by Moseley and by Middleton. 



