EDITORS PRKFACE. XIU 



their critical perusal ot his proof-sheets, so far as 

 they concern their special department. 



Whilst the avi-fauna of the ]\Iascarenes has re- 

 ceived such close attention from Professor Alfred 

 Newton and Sir Edward Newton, the floi-a of Rod- 

 riguez has been subjected to keen examination and 

 classification by Professor Isaac Ba^dey Balfour, of 

 Edinburgh ; and in the report to the Pioyal Society, 

 which resulted from his visit to the island in con- 

 nection with the Transit Expedition of 1874, the 

 Editor has been able to find all he could possibly 

 desire in the task of identifying the plants men- 

 tioned with much naivete by the Huguenot writer 

 two hundred years ago. Mr. J. G. Baker, F.R.S,, 

 and Mr. Scott Elliot, of Kew, have also aided the 

 Editor by suggestive advice in the difficult and un- 

 accomplished problem of ascertaining the identity of 

 a certain poison-tree of Mauritius, mentioned as 

 causing disastrous eifects on the old traveller. Pro- 

 fessor Giinther, likewise, has readily given all in- 

 formation asked of him with regard to the wonder- 

 ful tortoises of the same islands ; whilst Professors 

 J. Legge, Sir Thomas Wade, and K. Douglas have 

 courteously proffered helpful suggestions as to 

 Leguat's rather confused ideas of the Chinese 

 philosophers. 



Dr. R. Rost, of the India Office, has rendered 

 most important assistance to the Editor by per- 

 mitting him to consult the various books of travel 

 in the Library, which could not easily be elsewhere 

 obtained. Indeed, his cordiality and kind advice 



