BRITISH GUIANA. 333 



followed by a second drv season to the middle of April. The 

 rainfall in the coastal region ranges between 91 and 101 inches, 

 the lowest being experienced on the coast itself. In the forest 

 regions the contrast between the wet and dry seasons is less 

 marked, but the rainfall varies between 84 and 159 inches, 

 according to locality. In the savannah region the rainfall is 

 smaller than in the other regions, being on an average about 

 50 inches. 



2. Types of Forest. 



A considerable amount of information has been su])plied by the 

 local authorities, but it is not easy to give a clear account of the 

 several types, as a large number of species are given by their 

 local names only, and a very detailed classification of the ty])es has 

 been attempted. 



On the whole, the forests are " mixed forests," in which, 

 however, one or a few species are in the majority ; many forests 

 are known by the name of such prevaiUng trees. The height- 

 growth of the different types of forest varies very much. On the 

 low coast lands and along the lower tidal reaches of rivers, the 

 height would be from 60 to 70 feet ; further inland they reach 

 100 feet ; on the higher lands the height rises up to 200 feet. 

 Balata {Mimusops globosa) producing commercial balata, and 

 black balata {M. Elata) reach a height of over 150 feet and a girth 

 of 12 to 18 feet. 



The forests of the easily accessible areas may be divided into 

 two great divisions : — 



(1) Forests covering the wide alluvium, mostly of a swampy 



nature. 



(2) Forests of the shghtly elevated country, plains, ridges, or 



higher hills. 

 Division (1) comprises the littoral woodlands, almost entirely 

 composed of Avicennia nilida, Rhizophora Mangle and other 

 species ; in the river estuaries mangrove belts are found. Where 

 the water ceases to be salt Carapa guianensis, Crabwood or British 

 Guiana Mahogany, Wallaba {Eperua sp.), Hieronyma laxijlora, 

 and several species of Neclandra appear. On flat lands slightly 

 raised above tidal level appear forests, the chief constituent of 

 which is Mora {Dimorphandra Mora), accompanied by Carapa 



