52 



PLATE XVI 



BONINSIMA. 



WOODY MOUNTAINS. 



As has already been mentioned, the steep hills of this island rise at a short distance 

 from the sea, and the forest covering them assumes even more the character of 

 the temperate zone than the plains near the shores. Of course this can apply only 

 to the different deciduous trees of which it is composed. The underwood, in this 

 elevation of from 200 to 500 feet, is principally formed by the two above-men- 

 tioned palms, the screw-pine, and a great variety of tree ferns ; the latter more 

 particularly rendering the difference between the shores and mountains evident. 

 The scene represents the rocky bed of a rivulet, now dry, but in the rainy season 

 probably very turbulent. The aerial roots of the screw-pine, between which the 

 water has to force its way, appear of great size and strength ; the trunks rise 

 to a considerable height, and often bend in a picturesque manner (4 b). Not 



less surprising is the growth of the tree-ferns (lO I 11 ■ ?; 6 | 7 0. The 



Areca palm occurs perhaps in no locality in such abundance as in these rivulets. 

 The cabbage supplied by the heart of its crown is of good flavour and nourishing, 

 but hard. A species of Freycinetia grows in these islands ; here we have a young 

 specimen rising from the soil, and about to climb on a neighbouring stem 

 (4 | 5 f). In the foreground there is an old fully developed specimen of the 



fan-palm ^14 | 15 and just behind it (12 | 13 n) a young one. Behind it 



again ^10 | 11 rises a tree of peculiar shape, which we have not determined ; 



judging from its growth it may be an Aralia, perhaps Aralia japonica. The 

 laurel -like shrub at the foot of the two tall tree-ferns (10 | 11 o) may perhaps be 

 the same Laurus which we consider as Laurus Sassafras : its leaves were used as 

 tea by the two shipwrecked sailors whom we found here. Amongst the low 

 brushwood in the foreground is Oka fragrans, abundant in this island. 



