142 AN EXPEDITION TO CHKISTMAS ISLANDS. 



but the figs of a tree at Steep Point were bright red. Crinum 

 asiaticum a* quite typical form is abundant here and all along 

 this coast, growing in holes in rocks in rows on the precipices, 

 a most unusual locality for this plant which one is accustomed 

 to see in the sea sand. I returned by the branch pipe line to 

 the Irvine Hall Reservoir on the waterfall track. In the even- 

 ing collected among other plants at the wharf, Ipomea grandifiora 

 a convolvulus like a poor and small form of the moon flower, 

 / bona-nox and found also the pretty moth Deiopeia 

 pulchella an insect which contrives to get all over the world, 

 even to England where however it is considered very rare. It 

 is common on the open rocks above the sea, and one came into 

 light on one occasion. The lizard Lygosoma atrocostatum is 

 common here, I saw it also on the sea rocks at the waterfall 

 and at the further end of Flying Fish Cove. It never seems to 

 go far from the sea and seldom appears till the evening. 



Next day (29th) was spent in collecting in Flying Fish 

 Cove and its vicinity and the following day I started up 

 Phosphate Hill to go to the North East Point by way of the 

 new drainage track from the coolie lines. The descent from 

 the top of the upper terrace is over a mass of talus of coral 

 rock rather steep and slow going, then through sloping woods, 

 chiefly of Celtis and Randia to the sea cliff edge through a 

 band of Pandanus, a fisherman's track. The scrub is too 

 dense to get far along the cliff edge so we had to go through 

 the wood along the coast line in a northerly direction. Having 

 been informed that it was possible to get round North East 

 Point and return by the cemetery track except for a barrier, 

 which might be and indeed had been successfully passed we 

 went as far as time would permit towards the North East Point 

 intending to return the way we came. Passing through these 

 woods a white egret was seen ( Demiegretta sacra ? ) on a spot 

 which appeared to have been a stream. Soon the base of the 

 second terrace was reached, and a troublesome mass of tall 

 sharp rocks covered with a dense grove of pandans was crossed. 

 By no means impossible though rough and wearying ; expect- 

 ing to come to the " barrier" we pushed on to a thick but 

 more open bit, whence we returned, arid eventually discovered 



Jour. Straits branch 



