186 



GEOGRAPHICAL KOTK8 IN MALAYSIA AND ASIA. 



as it does throughout the whole of the East. I have more than 

 once had unpleasant experience of the fact that these animals 

 passing over bottles even with metal capsules, will impart a musky 

 flavour to the contents. A badger (Meles cldnenxi&i Gray), common 

 enough in China, has been found in the island, ;is well as the pale 

 red Chinese fox ( Vulpes ftoole). The Siberian red stoat (Pulorius 

 Siberians), is a great enemy of the henwife in some villages. A 

 civet ( Vivera zibetha, Linn.), and a squirrel (Scinrus castanoventrit, 

 Gray), both widely-spread species, occur on the island, besides rats 

 and mice. The wild boar (Sus leucomystax, Temm. and Schl.), 

 affords occasional sport as it does throughout Japan and Central 

 China. There is some talk about a deer (Cervulux reevesii, Ogil.). 



Geology. — The island of Hong Kong mainly consists of granite; 

 but there are places where the mica is replaced by hornblende and 

 various changes are undergone by the micas and felspars. In fact 

 it is a most varied rock, besides being penetrated by porphyritic 

 dykes, as well as some of very recent basaltic trap. Excellent 

 instances of the latter can be seen at Quarry Bay. The granit*; 

 is also somewhat rich in molybdenum. On the shores all round 

 the island excellent sections can be seen, especially from West 

 Point to the north of Stanley, where there are outcrops of granites 

 and metamorphic rocks. At Pok-fa-lutn, at the reservoir, the 

 granite assumes a porphyritic character, of dark colour. A 

 similar outcrop is noticed at Deep Bay. Limestone is found in 

 small quantities with large deposits of kaolin, derived from the 

 disintegration of granite rocks. The geology of the island has, 

 however, been well studied, and needs no further notice here. 



This concludes my observations on the first part of my travels. 

 In a subsequent portion I shall deal with the Philippine Islands, 

 and some other parts of the south Chinese coast with its depen- 

 dent islands. 



