40 COMI-ENDIU-M OF GEOGKAPHY AND TRAVEL 



ably be revealed if we were possessed of a better 

 knowledge of the flora of that island. Three species 

 are only known from Celebes and the Philippines, and 

 besides these a number of plants collected at Gorontalo 

 in the former island by Mr. Eiedel are considered by 

 Mr. Eolfe to be either identical with, or closely allied 

 to Philippine species. The connecting link is doubtless 

 to be found in the south, in Mindanao and the Sulu 

 islands, as indeed Mr. Burbidge's researches in the latter 

 group have proved. Bearing in mind the existence of 

 the submarine bank between Luzon and Formosa, and 

 the shallowness of the sea intervening between the 

 latter island and China, a northern element might 

 certainly be expected to be found existing to a greater 

 or less extent in the group. This surmise is 

 borne out by facts, and although not extensive, the 

 connection is very well marked. There are three en- 

 demic species of Carex, a typical northern genus, as 

 indeed is Pinus, of which we find two species — P. 

 insularis and P. Herkusii. Other forms exist which, 

 if not specifically identical with, are nevertheless closely 

 allied to Chinese species. The genus Pinus only occurs 

 in Luzon, and is confined to the western side, P. insularis 

 not growing south of 15° IST.. although P. Merlcusii 

 occurs in the province of Zambales in a restricted 

 area, and is met with again in the island of Sumatra. 

 The richness of the forests is shown by the fact that the 

 timber of more than 200 different trees has been 

 experimented on in the arsenal of Manila, resulting in 

 the selection of six as specially adapted to shipbuilding. 

 Two of these are species of Vitcx ( Verhenacece), one is 

 a Vateria {Dipterocarpem) , another is a Sterculia. Of 

 these Molave wood {Vitcx geniculata) is practically in- 

 destructible, resisting alike the teredo and white ant. 



