142 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



only the species, but the very families of some of the plants are 

 quite strange to me. It is all as unlike Victorian vegetation as it 

 can be. Instead of the narrow, drooping frondage of Australia, 

 the leaves here are large, broad, and umbrageous. The majority 

 of the trees are cocoanut. I step forward to them, and am soon 

 in a deep shade, which is very pleasant after rowing under the 

 tropical sun. The green tinge which is cast upon everything by 

 the light coming through the cocoanut leaves is remarkable and 

 very refreshing after the glare of the open sea. 



Hallo ! What can that be ? If I were in Australia I would say 

 it was a rabbit that popped down that hole. But, of course, there 

 are no rabbits here. Again ! Another has bolted round that 

 tree. I run round, and see two large crabs backing up into a 

 crevice, and threatening me with huge open claws. I leave the 

 poor creatures alone. I believe they live on the cocoanuts, and 

 that they are themselves good eating. I might secure a specimen. 

 But I am in a hurry to study the vegetation, for I have only an 

 hour on the island. I gather a few cocoanuts, and a few flowers, 

 sorhe of them very remarbable and interesting. Among them 1 

 gladly recognize the well-known form of the convolvulus ; but 

 the leaves are new to me, and the seeds are very large and very 

 hard. 



Lichens, however, are what I am after. And here they are ! 

 What a beautiful one on that tree — the colour a splendid greenish 

 blue, the shape circular, and about 6 in. in diameter. How regu- 

 larly the narrow divisions of the thallus are arranged ! And the 

 black apothecia scattered round the centre add to the beauty of 

 the plant. It is evidently a Physcia. I select one or two smaller 

 specimens, and, taking out my knife, cut off the lichens along with 

 the very thick bark of the tree, and wrap them up in newspaper, 

 with which I came plentifully supplied. I come out of the deep 

 shade and find another, apparently the same Physcia, but it is 

 white, doubtless from the action of the sun. However, I cannot 

 stop to examine closely. Hah ! what is it that gives such vivid 

 colours to the stems of those cocoanut trees ? — yellow and orange, 

 rich brown and snowy white. Lichens, I see ; and apparently 

 Verrucarias. Here are some Graphidea ; and there are other forms 

 new to me. I get excited, I collect largely of each kind, pushing 

 on through the grove of cocoanuts, but keeping my eye on the 

 direction I am going ; for I have not been a traveller in the Aus- 

 tralian bush without learning prudence. My carefulness, however, 

 is very much thrown away ; for I soon come to the other side of 

 the island, which seems to be no more than half or three-quarters 

 of a mile across at this part. 



I am now on the ocean side of the island. I notice a cocoanut 

 lying on the shore with a yourg green shoot rising up from it 

 to a height of rSin. or so. It has thrown a vigorous root 



