1870.] Brief notes on the Geology Sfc. of Nancowry harbour. 29 



As to the occurrence of amber*' in the Nicobars, a belief 

 which seems to be entertained by some, I can offer no decided opi- 

 nion. Prima facie there is no argument against it ; on the contrary, 

 the rocks are such as might be expected to produce amber ; but 

 with the exception of some fossil resin, a sort of pseudo-am- 

 ber found by Dr. Rink, I have searched in vain in the accounts 

 of the Nicobar islands for any reliable testimony of its occurrence, 

 or even of its having been seen with the natives, though it is men- 

 tioned incidentally in one account as being one of the exports. I 

 am strongly inclined to believe that the ambergris which is found 

 on the shores and exported, has given rise to the belief in the exis- 

 tence of amber. 



Fauna. 

 Mammals. 

 I did not succeed in obtaining any mammals ; they appear to be 

 very rare near the settlement. The evidence in favor of Buffaloes 

 existing on the island of Camorta has as yet not received further 

 confirmation than what we know from the records of Dr. ~R i n k. 

 The animal does not appear to have as yet been seen by any Eu- 

 ropean, but foot-prints were observed. A few species of monkeys, 

 bats and othersf have been noticed by Mr. B 1 y t h (J. Asiat. 

 Soc, Yol. xv, p. 367), and in the No vara scientific report. 



Birds. 

 During the short period of my stay in the Nicobar islands on the 

 hulk anchored off the new settlement on Camorta, my time was 

 principally taken up by long boat trips to various parts of the 

 neighbouring islands of Nancowry and Trinkut ; I had, therefore, but 

 little leisure for making a collection of birds. I am unable to add to 

 the scanty avifauna of the island, as already known, the description 

 of a single new species. Two birds were, however, observed by me 

 which have not hitherto been recorded, unfortunately I did not pro- 

 cure specimens of either : they were a small Quail, Turnix sp. f 

 and a species of JEgialitis (possibly JE. minutus). 



* The reference to amber has no doubt originated in the word amlra which 

 is generally used in German accounts, signifying ambergris. (Stoliczka.) 



f I have lately obtained through my collector a very interesting species of 

 Mwinae, but it has not yet been identified (Stoliczka.) 



