210 POPULAR GEOGRAPHY OF PLANTS. 



of the western monsoons ; and amongst lesser evils, mos- 

 quitoes and other teazing little insects find constant oppor- 

 tunities of reminding those that visit it that the world was 

 made for other creatures besides human beings ; indeed, to 

 judge by their "life and conversation," they appear to sup- 

 pose that the human race exists expressly for their benefit. 



In the islands which lie in the Southern Tropical Zone, we 

 again find very much the same character ; Otaheite shall 

 serve as an example. In some parts of the island the sides 

 of the hills are covered with trees and the valleys with grass ; 

 many springs gush from the sides of the mountains, which 

 also are very well wooded, the summits being clothed with 

 Eerns. The soil even on the high lands is rich, and the 

 Sugar-cane grows wild, as well as Ginger arid Turmeric. 

 This island too, which is everywhere interspersed with vil- 

 lages, produces ' ' the Cocoa-palm, Bananas, Plantains, Yams, 

 and, though last, by no means least, the Breadfruit-tree, and 

 a variety of other fruits and vegetables, but no European 

 fruits, garden stuff or pulse, or grain of any species/' 



The Breadfruit-tree (Plate XII.), which grows every- 

 where in the South Sea Islands, is a tree of the greatest im- 

 portance, as it actually supplies the place of bread to the 

 natives. Its botanical name is Artocarpus incisa, and it is 



