veracee, Bixinee, Acerine, pov 
Styracee, Plantaginee, Cuno 
lerianee, Saxifragee, Melas ei Q- 
puntie, and Conifere. The general aspect 
of vegetation here, is very different from 
that of Java, though, upon examination, I 
find many plants, which are common both 
to that island, and to all India. The 
soil and productions of Timor, however, 
bear more analogy to those of the Isle 
of France and of Bourbon, than any other 
places. 
Timor produces only one Eucalyptus, 
which is a lofty Tree with a white shining 
bark; and also Leucadendron viridiflora, 
but no other plants which grow in New 
- Holland, or Australia. The Sandal Wood 
is the spontaneous productions of our hills, 
but is not to be found.on any of the neigh- 
bouring islands, except Sandal Wood Is- 
d. The Tamarind Tree, several species 
of Inga and Acacia, Borassus flabellifor- 
mis, and Eucalyptus alba, being among 
the largest trees, and conspicuous from a 
distance, give a peculiar character to the 
dry rocky hills of Timor. This island can- 
not boast of its spices; a solitary species 
of wild pepper, one wild Myristica, and 
a Litsea, are all that are found here. Na- 
ture seems to have assigned a certain and 
Sandal Wood appears to be allotted to 
Timor; still this country possesses a very 
fine Flora, and its soil is not unsuited to 
many of the most useful vegetable pro- 
ductions, as we have Potatoes, all kinds of 
Yams, Wheat, ‘Rice, Indian Corn, every 
Sort of culinary herbs, and very good Coffee: 
the Bourbon kind. Of the eatable fruits 
grow in Java, we have very few; no 
Mangosteen, Doe, Ramboetan, nor Pine 
Apple, but a great variety of Oranges, and 
of the Cucurbitaceous fruits. i 
here, also, the poisonous milky plants, so 
. Common in the Islands of Sunda, and it is 
. A^ very singular, as well as a favourable 
. Circumstance, that Timor and the adja- 
cent Islands, are entirely exempt from all 
Noxious animals, as Snakes. There are 
NATURAL HISTORY OF TIMOR. 
limited range to all useful plants, and the - 
309 
we are not endangered by the presence 
€, 
of the Elephant, or Rhinoceros, in our 
woods, where the largest creature is 
species of S/ag, with some wild Hogs, e. 
a kind of Monkey, which is found in Java, 
and elsewhere. 
As to its Birds, Timor seems to occupy 
a middle rank between New Holland and 
the Islands of Sunda, more species of Psit- 
tacus being found with us, than in the latter 
regions, while the same may be said of 
those birds which feed on insects, as the 
many kinds of Wagtail and others, which 
are all different in colour and size, and a 
similar remark holds good of the genus 
Passer. Neither Peacock nor Pheasant 
is seen here, but a very rare kind of bird 
appears to be peculiar to one of the is- 
lands of this groupe, namely, Semdo, and 
will probably prove a new genus of the 
Gallinacee. Its native name is Poklaka; 
it lays its egg on the ground, covering it 
afterwards with earth; the egg is as large 
as that of a goose, and the bird itself, the 
size of a New Guinea Fowl. 
As for’ Minerals, Timor has been long 
known to afford gold and copper; and I 
expect that it will turn out to be a fine field 
for the Mineralogist. Its hills would be 
called by the Geologist, a transition for- 
mation, as evidenced by the conglomerate 
sandstone, and its primitive hills consist 
of schistus and porphyry, the gold being 
found in the first; while the porphyry pro- 
duces copper. Neither of these valuable 
metals exists, however, in such quantities 
as to repay the expences of mining. The 
rocks along the coast are of the limestone 
the beans of the latter being somewhat of formation, and of much more recent date 
than the central parts of the island; the 
same limestone exists on the coasts of 
the other islands between us and Java, 
and in those nearer Timor, as Semao, 
Rotte, &c., which exhibit evident marks 
of their still being under the agency ofa 
submarine Volcano. 
J. B. SPANOGHE. 
Since the above was written, I made a 
-trip to the interior, leaving my parcel at 
ae no Tigers or any other beast of prey, and Coupang, to be forwarded by the first ship, - 
