TIMBER. 363 
Velao (Casuarina nodiflora, Forst.), which is occasionally 
met with in its company, and also yields a useful timber 
Whilst the Nokonoko assumes a more or less pyramidal 
form, is scarcely ever higher than forty feet, and has a 
greyish hue, the Velao is often sixty feet and even more 
in height and three feet in diameter, and has a green 
mossy-looking crown, which, by its flatness on the top, 
reminds one of the stone-pine so characteristic of the 
Italian landscape. The Velao almost invariably grows 
in good soil, generally in mixed forests; whilst the No- 
konoko shuns, as it were, a close contact with other 
kinds of trees, and it scarcely ever associates with any 
save the Balawa or Screw-pine (Pandanus odoratissimus, 
Linn. ). 
The Dilo (Calophyllum inophyllum, Linn.), a sea-side 
tree, grows to a large size, and its wood is used for 
canoes and boats. Several of the little coasting vessels, 
cruising about Fiji, are almost exclusively built of it 
and the Vaivai (Serianthes Vitiensis, Gray); their masts 
being supplied by the Dakua (Dammara Vitiensis, Seem. ). 
Dilo wood has, besides, a beautiful grain and takes a fine 
polish. Allied to the Dilo is the Damanu (Calophyllum 
Burmanni, Wight), a large inland forest tree, also fur- 
nishing materials for boats, canoes, masts, and all kinds 
of carpentry. The Tivi (Zerminalia Moluccana, Lam.), 
a littoral tree, and its congener, the Tavola (Terminalia 
Catappa, Linn.), add their share to the Fijian woods. 
That of the Tavola is made into drums called “ Lali,” 
the beating of which is resorted to when distinguished 
guests arrive, on festive occasions, or to call the Chris- 
tians to Divine service ; and it is a curious coincidence, 
