THE VICTORIAN NATUllALIST. 143 



down into the broken and disintegrated coral, which forms the 

 subsoil of the island. How wonderfully suited the cocoanut is for 

 growth on these coral islands ! No doubt this nut has fallen from 

 a tree on some island to the east of this, and from some tree over- 

 hanging the sea. Its thick husk and hard shell preserved it as it 

 floated on the ocean and was rubbed and bruised on the coral. 

 By the action of the wind and waves it was landed on the shore. 

 And here it has rooted, and here it will grow into a tree, asking 

 no other soil than the rotten coral with its polyp remains, and no 

 other moisture than the salt water. By the by, I am informed 

 that fresh water can be got almost anywhere on the island by 

 sinking a well 8 ft. or lo ft. deep. This is very remarkable, 

 for the whole island scarcely exceeds lo ft. high at any part. 

 I am told also that coral islands often have an unpleasant smell. 

 I suppose this must arise from the dead polyps in the coral. I 

 perceive no unpleasant smell here, however. But that may arise 

 from this island not being one of very recent formation ; perhaps, 

 also, from the depth of the soil, for, in passing through the grove, 

 I noticed that there is a good thick coat of vegetable soil over the 

 coral, evidently formed by the large quantity of foliage which falls 

 from the cocoanut and other trees, and is rotted down by the 

 frequent heavy rains of the tropics. 



It seems to be characteristic of the phanerogamous plants grow- 

 ing here that the seeds are in every case, so far as I have seen, 

 defended by a thick episperm, sometimes hard and glossy and 

 sometimes tough and stringy. They are thus well suited to float 

 on the sea from one shore to another. And this is the only 

 apparent means of their transportation ; for there are very few, if 

 any, frugivorous birds on the island. Those young Englishmen 

 have evidently not found many birds, for I have scarcely heard a 

 shot from their fowling-piece ; and it is very likely that the report 

 or two which I have heard was not from their shooting at a bird, 

 for I guess that, failing a bird, they would shoot at any mark, just 

 for the pleasure of shooting. 



There is one thing on the island tliat reminds me of Australia. 

 The ant family is well represented here. I have no time to 

 examine closely, and I have no means of preserving specimens ; 

 but, from a cursory inspection, I would say that they are very like 

 those found in Victoria. I see none quite so large as the 

 largest of the Victorian species ; but what I do see might, from 

 their sizes and shapes and colours, and the style of their nests, be 

 identical with those which inhabit Victoria. To the question 

 how they could have found their way to a distant island like this, 

 it is not very difficult to imagine an answer. They could spread 

 from shore to shore in the trees which are carried hither by the 

 western currents of these seas. So that there is no reason why 

 they should not be genuine Australian emigrants. 



