TO LOWER SIAM. 31 



had supposed before that this pretty tree vine with its coral 

 red flowers had been introduced here as an ornamental plant, but 

 it seems more likely now that it is another relic of the old tidal 

 river of Singapore. The Geriang river had a narrow fringe of 

 trees and shrubs along it where the campongs did not come 

 down to the edge, and on the return journey I was rather 

 surprised in so narrow a ridge to see four or five large 

 K'rah monkeys (Macacus cynomolgus) , for these animals usually 

 require a cod sidei ably larger area of woodland to maintain 

 themselves. The pretty white flowered Donax arundastmm 

 was abundant along the edge of the stream as it usually is in 

 our tidal rivers. The stream narrowed till w T e came to the quarry 

 at the foot of the hill, and as the tide would have fallen ere 

 pur return we had to send the boat back to a distant point 

 where there would be enough water when the tide was down. 

 There is a track up the hill over the rocks with small ladders 

 and bridges where necessary, which eventually leads to some 

 caves. There is a way two miles in length we are told through 

 these caves which eventually opens on the sea shore having 

 traversed the whole of the hill. Time did not permit us to go 

 through this, but we saw a party of Malays who were going 

 through. The rocks were very dry and much of the vegetation 

 out of flower. It did not appear to be nearly as rich as the 

 limestone flora of the Batu Caves in Selangor nor as those 

 of Bidi in Sarawak. Possibly in the rainy season more might 

 be found. One of the plants I was anxious to find was the 

 curious Gesneraceous plant Lepadanthus flexuosus of which a 

 single specimen had been brought by Mr. Fox from this locality 

 (called Gunong Grenong in the Materials). For some time we 

 were unable to find any in flower, but in the mouth of a big- 

 cave I saw a plant high up which much resembled it and seemed 

 to be in flower. After some labour by the aid of a long bamboo 

 we managed to push the plant off its perch and found it was 

 the desired plant in flower and presently discovered that we 

 might have spared ourselves the labour of securing the one plant, 

 as clambering round a corner of the rocks we came upon a 

 great abundance of the plant in fine flower and easy reach. 



R. A. Soc, No. 59. I9H. 



