T———Ó—rt 
relat 
A BOTANICAL TOUR AMONG THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDS. 127 
culture of the first-mentioned vegetable. He generally chooses a spot in the 
small shoot is then cut off a Yam and inserted in "m top of this prania 
seen waving to and fro the graceful fronds of a Palm or of a Tree-fern. Taro 
tops ne are an excellent substitute for Spinach, and to my taste are far 
more de . 
met with Excecaria Agallocha (“ Sinu gaga,” or poison sinu of the 
toe " New evt and the New Hebrides, but it is more common in 
e Fijis. I have seldom seen it growing to more than twenty feet ; it occurs 
iine to the cun and is seldom seen inland. The smoke of its decayed wood 
and green leaves is said to be a certain cure for leprosy, a disease which is 
very prevalent throughout Polynesia. The dense habit and compact form of 
this tree render it a pleasing object. Jpomaa maritima will occasionally be 
he sandy beac 
inerme, which havespread over many acres. Two species of Rhizophora (Man- 
es margin the coast for miles in many parts of Fiji, and partieularly near 
to the Rewa river. : 
III. 
After leaving the Fijis, we visited the New Hebrides, of which group we 
d at An h Is 
hills, which have the appearance of beautiful lawns, surrounded by a mass of 
rich foliage. On the whole, the scenery of the New Hebrides is less striking 
than that of the other groups we visited. The island of Vate, however, should 
perhaps claim some special mention. To give Aneitum and Tana their due 
(I cannot say much for - ru as we were there only a few ie it must 
itted that the variety of plants is something marvellous. The varie- 
gated foliage at every few paces, of the richest tints imaginable, striped and 
spotted with all the most glowing and brilliant colours, —Croton, Dracena 
Acalypha, Eranthemum, Graptophyllum, Pandanus, Hibiscus, dasschsidius. 
and I could enumerate a score of other plants, also variegated,—call upon the 
