578 A NATURALIST IN THE PACIFIC 



floating in numbers in the Guayaquil estuary and stranded on the beaches 

 of Ecuador. 



It is noteworthy that, unlike some of the other shore-plants, Erythrina 

 indica has at least three sets of names in the South Pacific. Thus it 

 is known as Rara and Ndrala in Fiji, Ngatae in Samoa, Futuna, and Raro- 

 tonga, Atae in Tahiti, and Kenae in the Marquesas. The Samoan 

 and Tahitian name recalls the Burmese name of Ka-thit, whilst the 

 Marquesan word is suggestive of the Makassar name Kane or Kanur. 

 The Hawaiian name of E. monosperma is Wili-wiH, which evidently has 

 arisen from the screw-like movement of the open pod when thrown into 

 the air. The same name in the form of AViri-wiri is appHed for a similar 

 reason to Gyrocarpus Jacquini in Fiji. It is possible that the Polynesians 

 have assisted the dispersal of the coast-species (E. indica) ; but the 

 currents could have performed the distribution unaided, and the variety of 

 aboriginal names is not in favour of human intervention. 



With reference to the possible extermination by insects of Erythrina in 

 Hawaii, it has been before remarked (p. 143) that this would not account 

 for the survival of an inland species, such as E. monosperma in Hawaii. 

 However, this species since the occupation of that group by the white man 

 is on the road to extinction. Dr. Hillebrand observes that the species was 

 much more common formerly than in his time (1851-1871), a result 

 evidently due .0 the ravages of the common tropical mealy bug, a pest of 

 relatively modern introduction (see Koebele in Stubb's Agricultural Report 

 on Hawaii). It may be added here that Cordia subcordata, a littoral tree, 

 had been almost exterminated by the ravages of a small moth even 

 in Dr. Hillebrand's time. During my examination of the coasts of the 

 large island of Hawaii, in 1896-7, I was shown several places not long 

 before occupied by this tree ; and, as indicated in Note 29, it only came 

 under my notice in a few localities. 



NOTE 54 (page 145) 

 Ox THE Genus Canavalia 



Of the three maritime species, C. obtusifolia, D.C., occurs on beaches 

 all round the tropical zone. I was familiar with it on North Keeling 

 Island in the Indian Ocean, in Fiji, and in Ecuador. C. ensiformis, D.C., 

 is just as widely spread ; but it is both inland and maritime in its station, 

 and except when collecting it in the Solomon Islands I have had but little 

 acquaintance with it. C. sericea (Gray) is a characteristic beach-plant in 

 Fiji, but is infrequent. In Rarotonga, according to Cheeseman, it is 

 a common littoral plant. It was also found in Tahiti by Banks and 

 Solander.. and is seemingly peculiar to the Pacific islands. 



Besides C. ensiformis, the other two shore species may at times 

 be found inland. Thus it is singular that the French botanists do not, as 

 a rule, speak of C. sericea as a Tahitian beach plant ; and Nadeaud only 



