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ever. be no doubt that in the wester part of Madagascar there are 
forests, mostly, I believe, narrow, which run for long distances in a 
o noriherly and southerly direction, but how far these are continuous is 
E not yet known. In regard to the large eastern forest, it attains its 
ches in many places from the mountains of the interior right down 
to the sea, and is probably 60 (in North Antsihanaka perhaps 80) miles 
in width. we take its average width on the eastern side of the 
island at 30 miles, and its length at 800, we get an area of 24,000 
square miles of forest-clad country, not reckoning the innumerable 
patches of wood on the lower slopes. If we include these, probably 
allo 
ake a rough estimate, there will not unlikely be an area of 30,000 
Square miles of forest-covered country; and if we reckon the area of 
the island at 228,000 square miles, about ongeighth part of it may be - 
said to be so covered." "s 
* * * * * 
.Ihave long been convinced that the flora of Madagascar may b 
divided into three regions, and the data given below will, I think, justify 
- the conviction. These regions run in a longitudinal direction, following 
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approximately the longer axis of the island. 
eastern, central, and western. The central region includes the elevated 
plateau of the interior, that is to say the territ on the east 
jy the western edge of the great forest, on the west by the high land, 
from which there is generally a more or less distinct descent into the 
western lowlands, on the north by lat. 14°, and on the south by the 
tropic of Capricorn. Its limits may be more definitely traced thus :— 
From the tropic of Capricorn and long. 46° 50’ the line runs about 15. 
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rest to À ond 
e great Antsihanaka province), whieh it skirts until it 
others near the mainland, constitute the western region, and that to the 
east the eastern. Of course it is not pretended that these regions can be 
defined with great accuracy, the divisions į extreme north and 
S A tially cor a n ] is 
through about thirteen degrees of latitude the eastern and western 
regions being chiefly, and the central entirely, within the tropics), there — 
