f 

 — 71 — 



remarkable palm has been destroyed with the same 

 improvident thoughtlessness as the forests in Mauri- 

 tius, and on many square miles of land formerly cover- 

 ed with them, there are not at present a single plant, 

 and even one Island, (He Ronde) has been completely 

 stripped of them. It is a remarkable fact that where 

 the Cocos de Mer have been burnt off, (n) the Filao 

 (Casuarina equisetifolia) immediately covers the soil, 

 springing up almost as thickly as grass. 



A few plants of the Coco de Mer exist in Mah6 

 and Silhouette, where they have been planted, and 

 but for their preservation in Curieuse, (o) which be- 

 longs to the Government, the carelessness of the 

 inhabitants and the very tardy growth of this palm 

 might lead us to fear that it might become extinct, as 

 I have reason to believe is the case with the finest 

 fern in Mauritius, Adiantum Alfissimum. 



James F. Anderson. 



Bel Air, Gde. Savane, 



24th August 1879. 



(n) This may be accounted for by the change in the che- 

 mical character of the soil pToduced by the burning off the Palm, 

 which change supplies most fully and most easily to the wants of 

 the Filao. 



(o) There is now no speciinen of the Coco de Mer existing 

 in Curieuse. The only Island which can boast of possessing forests 

 of this wonderful Palm is Praslin. 



It is pleasing to record that the felling or in any way destroying 

 of the tree is strictly prohibited by the Government since the Pro- 

 clamation of an Ordinance to that effect a few years ago. 



