SOME VISITS TO BATAM ISLAND. 71 



on the east, though Pulo Sauh forms a stepping stone to the 

 latter which is only five miles away. Bintang, however, when 

 it is fully investigated will prove to be by far the most 

 interesting island of the whole archipelago. A bank of less 

 than 20 fathoms connects all these islands with both Sumatra 

 and the Peninsula, but the 10 fathom contour lines break them 

 up into various groups of which that above noted is one of the 

 largest. 



I have no notes of value about birds for they were scarce 

 and of common species and I soon left off shooting them. 



Small collections of reptiles and insects were made but 

 they contained nothing remarkable. 



I preserved a few plants during my visits and two of 

 them, which were new, have lately been described by Mr. H. 

 1ST. Ridley, viz :—Neclcia Klossii and Didymocarpus battam- 

 ensis. 1 The latter is interesting since it grows at sea-level 

 while I believe that the habitat of the Didymocarpi, in this 

 locality at least, is at some altitude. 



A few notes on the inhabitants of Batam are given else- 

 where in this Journal. 



1. J. S. B. R. A. S. No. 49. 



R. A. Soc, No. 60, IdO 



