154 
mg for both planter and forester, but the subject is so vast that 
only a few instances of plants of special local importance will at 
present be referred to. Birds, animals, wind, water, and in some cases 
a volition of their own are all agencies by which the same end is 
attained. Birds and animals are well known to act in two distinct 
ways as distributing agents, one by eating and subsequently eva- 
cuating seeds, without destroying their germinating powers, and 
the other by the accidental attachment to their bodies of certain 
specially adapted kinds. There is also a third, particularly in the 
case of bats, due entirely to their pugnacious habits which plays, 
I believe, no unimportant part. As soon as one individual has 
secured a choice morsel one or more others make an attempt to 
rob him, and in order to enjoy it .in peace the fruit is often carried 
to a considerable distance before the pulp is eaten and the seed 
dropped. Of the latter method gutta percha may be taken as an 
example. 
Gutta Percha. 
True gutta percha trees belong to the Natural Order Sa- 
potaceae, and the best kinds to the genus Palaquium (also known as 
Dichopsis and Isonandra). The most common Malay name for the 
Palaquiums is gutta taban, but in Penang it is known as Ekor, and 
in places in Sumatra as Balam. Payena also yields a good gutta 
which is known as gutta sundek. The seeds of Palaquium, of which 
there are generally one or two, but occasionally three or four, are 
enclosed in a sweet edible pulp of which birds and animals are 
particularly fond, especially bats, which I believe are the principal 
agents in the distribution of the seeds of this tree, though on this 
point 1 cannot be quite sure because precautions had been taken 
to prevent the access of climbing animals to the only trees l have 
yet seen in fruit by means of spikes of bamboo and sheets of tin. 
The bats however attacked them badly and carried them to con- 
siderable distances. By setting a boy to visit daily their sleeping 
places, which in this particular kind of bat is the under side of a 
large palm leaf where they are protected from sun and rain, several 
hundreds of good seeds were collected. I at first thought that 
these seeds had been swallowed and evacuated (and am not quite 
sure about it yet) but on considering the size of the animal as com- 
pared to that of the seed it scarcely appears possible, and more- 
over none were found in the intestines of those captured. Some 
of the resting places in which seeds were found were quite a quar- 
ter of a mile from the trees that were fruiting. 
Climbing Rubbers. 
Two most important Genera of local rubbers vines (Urceola and 
Willoughbeia) although belonging to the same natural order (Apo- 
cynaceae) and known locally under various names such as Getah 
gharu, Gegrip putih, gegrip merah, Akar sampat, &c. are dissem- 
inated in quite different ways. The fruit of Urceola is a woody 
follicle which splits when ripe and contains numerous seeds. Each 
seed has an attachment of silky hairs which buo)s them up and 
by means of which they are carried great distances. As these 
