THE FLORA OF MOUNT OPIIIH. 5 



is abundant and swarms of bees often fly over the mountain. A 

 few grasshoppers, crickets, flies and other insects occur. Dra- 

 gon flies and a species of May-fly haunt the stream. Termites 

 occur nearly to the top of the highest point. Mosquitoes appear 

 to be quite absent. I found a small species of scorpion in a de- 

 caying- piece of wood on Padang Batu and Braddell mentions an 

 enormous scorpion on the road to the top of Gunong Ledang. 

 A small fresh water cnib frequents the stream. It is brown 

 with reddish claws. Land shells are mentioned as having been 

 collected here both by Wallace and Braddell. 



The lower peak of the range known as Gunong Mering I 

 ascended with Mr. Hervey in 1892 from Lubok Kedondong. 

 The Malays declared that it had never been ascended by Euro- 

 peans, and that it was inaccessible. However the ascent proved 

 merely a stiff climb though in parts it was found necessary to 

 make hand rails or ladders to enable us to cross the smooth 

 steep rocks. The camp was pitched on a Padang Batu across 

 which ran a stream that fell in a cascade over the end of the 

 rocks. Except at this point the stonefield was surrounded by the 

 rising cliffs which were covered with forest. This spot was 

 about half way up Gunong Mering. As to our being the first 

 Europeans to ascend it, this may be considered doubtful as 

 Griffith mentions numerous plants from Gunong Mering. 



The flora of Mering is to all intents and purposes the same 

 as that of Ledang, but a few met with here were not found 

 upon the latter. In treating of the flora of this mountain, it may 

 first be pointed out that in many respects it differs from that of 

 the hirh lands of Perak and Selangor and more closely resembles 

 that of Kedak Peak. It is possible, however, that this is rather 

 due to climate than to anything else. The isolated position of 

 both mountains their comparative proximity to the sea, and pro- 

 bably their greater dryness has had some effect in modifying 

 the flora, but it should also be pointed out that neither mountain 

 belongs to the central range but both appear to belong to quite 

 a different system. Practically at present nothing is known as 

 to the geology of the peninsula nor can we at present formulate 

 even roughly any theory as to the relationships of the different 

 hill ran res to each other. We do know, however, that the 

 denudation of the Western side of the Peninsula has even in 



