312 Canadian Record of Science. 



but it was not conspicuous. Ninety nine out of a hundred per- 

 sons must be shown the Cross before they recognize it. Its a 

 poor constellation beside our Dipper or Great Bear. The fact 

 that the ancients did not recognize the Cross as a separate con- 

 stellation, but included it in Centaur, shows that it is not very 

 conspicuous. The people of the southern hemisphere can 

 boast, however, of having the star nearest the earth, the bright 

 star in Centaur. To give an idea how near it is, let us imagine 

 it to be peopled and that the people can see things going on 

 on the earth, then they would now be seeing the last stages of 

 the Boer war, soldiers moving about South Africa, for the light 

 takes over four years to travel from the earth to Alpha Cen- 

 tauri. Two other phenomena of the southern sky may be re- 

 ferred to, viz : the Coal Sacks and Magellanic Clouds. The 

 first are dark spots in the heavens resembling small black 

 clouds, and are due to the absence (to the naked eye) of stars. 

 Especially one of them is well marked, but the casual observer 

 on a clear night, would not have his attention arrested to infer 

 its true meaning, just as the Magellanic Clouds are in reality a 

 galaxy of stars, appearing as two fleecy, white, drifting terres- 

 trial clouds. 



The two large islands, Viti Levu and Vanna Levu, of the 

 Fiji group are quite mountainous, and have extinct volcanoes. 

 These mountains effect the climatic conditions materially. 

 The prevailing winds being the South East Trades, it follows 

 that the southeastern sides of the islands are wet, and the 

 opposite side comparatively dry. The former is clothed with 

 woods and rank vegetation while the latter is more of an open 

 and grass country. The most fertile island of the group is 

 Tavinni, the richness or fertility being due to the vulcanic soil, 

 reminding one of Hawaii. 



It is almost impossible to make a botanical collection in 

 Fiji. In the first place so many of the specimens are of gigan- 

 tic size, and in the second place, even if preserved, they would 

 be sure to turn mouldy. My experience was that of others. 



Along the roadside (Suva) many red flowers are seen, 

 reminding one of our clover, for the resemblance is very strong. 

 The plant that bears them is a thorny vine — the sensitive 

 plant, which when touched closes or folds its small leaves. 



