256 APPENDIX I. 



Japanese and Formosan species are distinct, it is very likely that these genera 

 may also be represented in the intervening islands. It is, at all events, an 

 interesting point for the next naturalist who visits the country to elucidate. 



The abundance of limestone throughout Liu-kiu is noticed in Com- 

 modore Perry's account of the visit of the American squadron. As I have 

 already stated, this rock is largely used for building purposes, and for pa\ang 

 roads, owing to its lasting power and the comparative ease with which it is 

 Avorked. Masses of coralline limestone are found far inland, and at a A'ery 

 considerable elevation, — even at as great a height as Shiuri ; and it is thus 

 evident that upheaval must have taken place to a very considerable extent. 

 North wai'd from Napha-kiang the American expedition found a talcose slate 

 at Barrow's Bay, succeeding to the argillaceous surface-rock noticeable in the 

 ■sdcinity of Napha ; and in the northern part of the island granite was met 

 with, very soft in character, and almost white, rising into a hill of some 

 elevation.^ The steep promontories along the coast, it Avas remarked, were 

 generally composed of gneiss of a very coarse nature, which supplants the 

 limestone rock of Capstan Head, and the other cliffs round Xapha-kiang. 



By far the most important result of the Americans' visit to the north of 

 the island was the discovery of coal, or rather of tolerably certain indications 

 of it, at Shah Bay on the north-west coast. Here, in a bluff close to the 

 water, was an outcrop of black bituminous slate in strata alternating with 

 seams of iron-stone. This was also visible at several places in the neighbour- 

 hood, and although no borings could be undertaken, its presence is strong 

 presumptive evidence in favour of the existence of coal.- The locality, how- 

 ever, has never been visited since, so that no opportunity has occurred of 

 verifying the discovery. 



Gold and copper have been stated by various authors to exist in the Liu- 

 kiu Islands, According to Purchas, "they abound in Golde more then others 

 of that Sea ;" and Gualle, as we have just seen, talks of the " Golde in graines 

 and very small pieces " brought thence to China, at the same time alluding to 

 the existence of gold-mines. The metal, however, was most likely obtained 

 from the Japanese, mth whom trade has been carried on for centuries. 

 Whether the copper in use on the islands owns a like origin is another 

 question. In the list of presents sent by the Liu-kiu King Chang-cheh to 

 the Tartar Emperor, occurs the item of 3000 pounds of copper, in addition 

 to the sulphur previously mentioned ; and Gaubil states that the King's 

 revenues were drawn from the salt, the sulphur, and the copper. It would 

 thus appear that there are actually copper-mines on the island, though their 



1 Commodore Perrj''s " Narrative of the Expeditiou of an American Squadron to the 

 China Seas," p. 184. 



^ Perry, op. eit. vol. ii. p. 54. 



