280 



grounds on Java and Sumatra) is to him additional proof of Krakatao having 

 indeed been absolutely destroyed. 



As it appears from Mr. Docters van Leeuwen's paper he 

 found in the localities investigated on Sebesy indeed a much larger 

 number of species than in the examined parts of Krakatao. But as 

 nothing is known of the flora of the two islands before the eruption, 

 I do not see how the greater number of species found on Sebesy 

 can in any way be a proof for the total destruction of the flora of 

 Krakatao. At best one can say that the vegetation of Krakatao has 

 in 1883 suffered much more than that of Sebesy. This is quite con- 

 ceivable considering that generally speaking the large and heavy 

 ,,blocks of pumice fell inside a circle of 15 km. radius around 

 ,,Krakatao. The materials fallen outside this circle consist for the 

 ,,greater part of ashes. On Sebesy pieces of the size of a head are 

 ,,already rare '')". 



^ 4. On Krakatao a small number of specie's is found to prevail in huge quantities 

 of each. The most striking instance is Cyrtandra sulcata which completely 

 and densely covers all slopes between 300 and 800 m- 



For the value of this remark on Cyrtandra sulcata see p. 215. 

 Mr. Docters van Leeuwen does not tell us which are the 

 other species ,,prevailing in huge quantities" on Krakatao. Perhaps 

 he means the species named in 5, p. 207 but it is hardly to 

 be believed that all these were very numerous. Of Radermachera 

 (jlandu/osa Miq. f.i. he himself says (See. p. 260, No. 62, herebefore) 

 that it occurred in scattered specimens. For Ficus variegate Bl. see 

 p. 284, sub h. In 1908 Ficus fistulosa was very common in the investig- 

 ated lower ravines and Saccharum spontaneum formed a broad and 

 very dense girdle on the lower parts of the south-eastern and eastern 

 sides of the island. On p. 283 (sub e) Macaranga tanarius and Pipturus 

 incanus are mentioned as common trees in the grassy jungle. Both 

 species were already present there in 1908. 



^ 5. After the eruption Krakatao was practically left to itself. Then follows on the 

 stay of Mr. Hand I on Krakatao the erroneous statement already cited on 

 p. 202, footnote 1. 



^ 6. April 26th was spent by Mr. Docters van Leeuwen in an excursion to 

 Krakatao and Verlaten Eiland. 



Of this excursion nothing more is told. 



l ) Verbeek, Krakatau, Dutch Edition (1888), p. 122. See p. 23, footnote 6. 



