482 THE LACCADIVES AND THE WEST COAST. 
A considerable portion of the island is now covered by soil 
and vegetation, and itis only along part of the inner face that 
the rock is clearly exposed, exteriorly it is buried out of sight 
by loose coral debris and above humus conceals it. I much 
desired to work out its extent, but had no digging tools, but I 
found it peeping out near both ends of the island, and in one 
place, and one place only, on the seaward face, and my impression 
was that the entire island was composed of this rock. If this 
be so, it can scarcely have been formed when the local condi- 
tions were as they now are, as in that case necessarily the 
rock on the seaward face would have been a coarse conglomer- 
ate, whereas, the only piece I could detect on the seaward 
face, was as fine grained and compact as elsewhere. Probably, 
this patch is all that remains of a far more extensive formation, 
that has been submerged since its concretion, and subsequently 
re-elevated. I searched in vain, however, for any conformation 
of this view, as I did also for any untriturated organic 
remains in the many pieces I succeeded (though not without 
much difficulty) in breaking off. If it had been a sub-aqueous 
deposit, it must, I should think, have contained these. However, 
my examination was at best most cursory and insuflicient, 
I can only indicate Betra-par as well worthy of study 
by any one with time and appliances at his command, 
and more practical knowledge of such questions than I 
possess. 
The only trees on the island are cocoanuts, and for this clearly 
it is visited by the Islanders, as we found out a sort of shed that 
visitors appear to be in the habit of using, and near it a great 
heap of huge Tiger-claw Shells (Pteroceras lambis), the fish of 
which had doubtless served them for many a meal. | 
Two large shrubs are very abundant and are common to the 
Shores of India, Ceylon, the Archipelago, Australia and South 
Sea Islands. The one a Scaevola (8. Konigu, Vahl.) with 
masses of large glossy apple green somewhat fleshy leaves 
surrounding irregular panicles of white flowers, the other a great 
coarse wild Heliotrope (Yournefortia argentea, Li.) with an 
infinite number of close set whorls of oval leaves, with an 
universal glaucous blue tint. Of course the sandy shores, 
as elsewhere in all tropical countries, were covered by the 
bright-green leaved, purplish-lilac flowered, trailing sand 
convolvulus, (L pes-capr@) and inside this were everywhere 
huge patches of that remarkable rigid-leaved grass (Spinifex 
squarrosus) peculiar to the shores of India, which is often called 
the Sea-pink. Not that itis anything of the kind, but only that 
its densely crowded masses of stiff glaucous blue leaves, 
remind one irresistibly at a short distance of a bed of pink 
