THEEE ISLES. 105 



The eastern and northern islet is nearly circular, 

 half a mile in circumference —formed of coral and 

 shell-sand, covered with bushes and small trees. 

 The most conspicuous plant is the prickly Guilan- 

 dina Bonduc, the long- briar-like trailing- and 

 climbing' shoots of which impede one while travers- 

 ing' the thickets. A pair of white-headed sea- 

 eag'les had established their aerie in a tree not more 

 than twenty feet from the g-round, and I could not 

 resist the temptation of robbing- them of their 

 eg-g-s. 



July 28th. — Anchored under the Three Isles, 

 between Capes Bedford and Flattery. The principal 

 one of the group, situated to leeward of an extensive 

 reei^ is marg-ined towards the reef by beds of coral — 

 cong-lomerate, and elsewhere by a sand}- beach — it 

 is half a mile in length, composed of coral sand, 

 the highest part not more than twelve feet above 

 high-water mark, with several groves of low trees, 

 and is over-run with tall sedge-like grass j the 

 second is composed of a strip of heaped-up frag- 

 ments of coral, to Avindward covered with bushes, 

 and to leeward separated from the reef by a belt of 

 mangroves; the third is a mere clump of mangroves 

 not deserving of further notice. The botany of an 

 island of this class, of which there are many on the 

 N.E. coast of Australia, may serve as a specimen, 

 as the plants are few. Mimusops Kaukii constituted 

 the principal part of the arboreal vegetation, 

 Clerodendrum inerme and Premna ohtusifolia form 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



