THE FLORA OF LOWER SIAM. 25 



It was fortunate it did not rain either in going or return- 

 ing, for we had no cover, not even a kajang. I had a whole 

 day to spare in Tongkah, but there is not much to collect 

 there unless one had time to go back to the wooded hills. 

 There is no more sign of advancement here than in any of the 

 other places. Everyone says that the population is diminish- 

 ing rapidly. For every Chinaman that goes into Tongkah 

 three or four come away." 



Lankawi islands. This beautiful group of islands con- 

 sists of the hilly island of Lankawi, Dayong Bonting and a 

 number of smaller islets, while to the north lies the island of 

 Terutau. The main island consists of granite and sandstones, 

 at least for the larger part. Dayong Bonting, Terutau and 

 many of the small islands are of limestone. In Dayong Bon- 

 ting there is a deep lake of clear water, which appears to be 

 formed by the entrance of a stream into a valley, the outlet to 

 the sea being blocked by a limestone cliff through which 

 probably the water escapes by an opening at the base. This 

 lake contains an abundance of Chara. The lofty ridges of 

 Gunong Chinchang (2413 feet) and Gunong Eaya (2942 feet) 

 are apparently of granite, but limestone is reported on the 

 north face of the former which is a succession of jsharp, high and 

 precipitous peaks. The Geology of these islands would pro- 

 bably prove very interesting. The flora has been collected by 

 Mr. Curtis, myself and Mohamed Haniff, but is very rich and re- 

 markable, and many more plants yet unknown doubtless occur 

 there. On the Main island is the village of Kwah on the sea shore 

 where there is a rest house, shops, etc. This village seems to 

 be increasing in size and the low land around it is being 

 planted with coconuts and rubber, for the mania for rubber 

 planting has reached even to these islands, and even the 

 steep rocks are being cleared in parts for this plantation, 

 which cannot be considered at all a suitable spot for a truly 

 hygrophytic plant like Hevea brasiliensis. 



The limestone flora. The main ranges of hills running 

 north from Perlis, and part of the Lankawi islands are of lime- 

 stone, white or grey. A quite similar rock runs down both sides 



R. A. Soc, No. 59. 1911. 



