8 CARL SKOTTSBERG 



The dwarf trees now existing are, as has already been stated, ahiiost 

 wholly confined to the crater of Rano Kao and are on the verge of extinction. 

 They grow not far from the lake, where the steep slope is covered with very 

 large blocks, which prevent the sheep from reaching them. Mr. Edmunds told 

 me about some trees which grow along the steep bluff of the eastern headland; 

 unfortunatly, we were prevented from visiting the place, what I hope some 

 future naturalist will do. 



The greatest part of the island is covered with grass, wide-spread species, 

 either Polynesian or introduced from the old world via Chile, Tahiti or other 

 places. Occasionally ferns are found, also outside the rano, Microlepia strigosa 

 being the most common. We discovered two species of OpJiioglossiim, to which 

 the natives attribute medicinal qualities. Among the cryptogams are some 

 endemic species. A detailed account of the Flora will appear in the volume 

 dedicated to the Botany of the expedition. 



The terrestrial Fauna is very poor; no indigenous mammals or land birds 

 are known. There are two species of lizards, both of wide range. The insect 

 fauna is remarkably poor; some species have been introduced by man, e. g. 

 cockroaches and flies, which have increased enormously. 



ARCHAEOLOGICAL REMAINS: THE AHU 



These structures, the burial-places — but not the only ones — of the is- 

 landers, have been called » terraces* by most authors. Such a word tells us 

 very little, while the word ahu is a proper technical term, strongly and justly 

 recommended by Mrs. RoUTLEDGE for regular use. 



There are several kinds of ahu. The most striking is the image-ahu, 

 which carried the now fallen statues of stone. We know that all the images 

 were purposely upset as a result of internal warfare. During our staty in La 

 Perouse Bay we devoted some time to the inspection of the ahu. One not far 

 from the landing-place, close to the beach, was said to be one of the best 

 preserved, although not one of the largest and having supported one statue 

 only. This ahu was measured and described (see Plates 3 — 4 and text fig. i). 

 The central part is 23,5 m. long and protrudes 4 m. in front of the wings; as 

 it stands on somewhat higher ground, it rises above the wings, in spite of the 

 front wall being rather low or, about 1,25 m. The front wall has a foundation 

 of small stones and flat slabs, followed by large, very well wrought blocks; 

 one of these was 2,3 m. long, 0,9 high, and 0,45 broad, another 2,45 long and 

 I m. high. They are closely fitted. The space behind this wall was filled 

 with boulders, the surface paved with larger, flat stones, making a level 

 platform. 



The wings are larger than the centre, the east 31,2, the west 32 m., giving 

 as total length of the ahu 86,7 m. Their front wall is as high as or even 

 higher (about 2 m.) than that of the centre and is similar in construction, 

 without being so neatly finished. The central part of the ahu, behind the plat- 

 form, had been disturbed, a stone wall of 7,6 m. stretching oblic^uely along the 

 fallen image. The ahu slopes gently inwards. This slope, which could be 



