VIEW OF A WOODY CORAL ISLAND, SEEN FROM WITHIN. 39 



excrescences of the stem, observed above the roots, are skilfully turned into boards 

 and planks, which otherwise would be difficult to construct with the rude tools 

 here in use. The two human figures introduced in the corner of our illustration 

 may be presumed to be the owner of the tree, and a man, skilled in ship-building 

 or other kinds of carpentry, consulted on the best method of turning the tree to 

 account. If it be true what Dr. Mertens states in the above-cited place, that, 

 according to the testimony of a sailor, W. Floyd, the wood of the variety 

 termed u Oness " proves too heavy for ship-building purposes, it would seem to 

 point to an essential difference of this from other bread-fruit trees, and perhaps 



indicate a new species. On the left-hand side ^3 ^ something is shown of a tall 

 Eugenia, apparently the same as the one termed " Kiriar " in Ualan. In the 

 same place of the foreground ^4 ^ ^ is seen a young cocoa-nut palm, belonging to 

 the thickets of this side of the shore, whilst the two high specimens in the back- 

 ground indicate those of the other side. Pandanus latifolius ^7 d ; 9 



occurring isolated in Ualan, generally is common in the coral islands ; it differs 

 from Pandanus odoratissimus not only by a more elegant growth of its broader 

 leaves, but also by its fruit, which, when ripe, is whitish, and has very hard though 

 edible drupes ; its round heads of fruit, attached to longer stalks than those of 



Pandanus odoratissimus, are generally drooping ^12 ^J. A young shrubby 



specimen of Barringtonia speciosa grows close to the above-mentioned cocoa-nut 



palm ^5 | 6 A species of Guettarda * forms middle-sized trees ; we see a 



fully grown specimen of it (9 m), and more in front a young one (12 n). At 

 the foot of the former, several delicate creepers form a rather rich curtain. 

 Amongst the finest flowers of this season rank the dark blossoms of a species of 

 Grinum (2 f ), with which the inhabitants ornament their hair and ears. Tacca 



pinnatifida ^11 grows plentifully, though ungregariously, on the outskirts of 



the woods. 



* Probably Guettarda speciosa, Linn., common on the sea-shores, the geographical range of which 

 extends from India to the Fijis. — Bcrthold Seemann. 



D 4 



