112 
the northern point and is there wholly covered with the usual 
littoral plants, which produce long stems (see plate XXI) by 
means of which they trail along the ground. Here also at the 
back of the beach there is a coast-wall with the trees of the 
Barringtonia-formation and behind this the forest of Casuarines. 
The latter spreads over a great part of the island and consists 
of young trees standing close together (plate XX) in a manner 
suggesting a pine-tree forest before it is shinned out. 
The under-growth consists again of the same plants as on 
Krakatau, Pipturus incanus Wedd; Macaranga Tanarius L. (the 
latter is visible in the photo, plate XX), but the most striking 
thing is the enormus number of Papayas in all stages of deve- 
lopment. The fruits are a very welcome nutfiment to various 
birds, the maws and stomachs of the crows shot by Mr. Barters 
being crammed with it. In the depth of the Casuarine-forest there 
is a large saltwater lake. Originally a deep bay of the sea it 
became a lake when the passage had silted up. The water is 
slightly less saline than sea-water, but it is inhabited by a good 
many marine animals, stellerids (starfishes), a species of sea- 
cucumber and in addition also larvae of insects such as dragon- 
flies; an interesting biological milieu that should be tempting 
to the investigator. Moreover it is on the shore of this lake 
that one finds the only mangrove plants extant in these islands 
viz. Lummnizera racemosa Wedd. and Excoearia agailoghe L. 
(see plate XXII righthand side). 
On the Northern side the coast is flat but on the opposite 
side it is very steep (plate XXIV). The raised or rather tumbled 
down layers of earth are now being rapidly washed out; the 
steep sides are very barren; the photos will show that they 
hardly bear any plants. On this side of the island the sea is 
z continually crumbling away the land already-formed, old trees 
_ falling a prey to its encroachements (plate XXIII). 
On April 29th we shaped our course homeward. It is not yet 
po sible to give a complete survey of all that was found. The 
ighs phate have all been determined, but the mosses and 
and and most of the animals: must first be forwarded to 
2 = is 5 to be — ee 
