PITCAIRN'S ISLAND. 97 
Among the trees are the Cocoa-nut (Cocos nuci- 
fera) ; the Plantain (Musa paradisiaca) ; the 
Bread-fruit tree (Artocarpus incisa) ; the Nono 
(Morinda citrifolia), &c. ; but the most striking 
and remarkable is the Banyan (Ficus Indica) : 
" The fig-tree ; not that kind for fruit renown'd, 
But such as at this day to India known, 
In Malabar or Dec can, spreads her arms, 
Branching so broad and long, that in the ground 
The bended twig takes root, and daughters grow 
About the mother-tree, a pillar'd shade, 
High over-reach'd, and echoing walks between. 
There oft the Indian herdsman, shunning heat, 
Shelters in cool, and tends his pasturing herds 
At loop-holes cut through thickest shade." 
MILTON. 
The temperature of Pitcairn ranges from 59 
in winter to 87 in summer. The average is 
65 in winter, and 82 in summer. The vege- 
tation sometimes suffers from swarms of insects. 
To remedy this evil, there having been on the 
island only one species of land bird, a small fly- 
catcher, it was thought desirable to convey some 
birds to the spot. Her Majesty's Ship, Virago, 
Commander Prevost, left Callao for Pitcairn, in 
January 1853, having on board singing-birds, 
rose-trees, myrtles, &c. for the islanders. 
There are lizards, but no venomous reptiles 
on the island. The people are annoyed by 
rats, which do much damage to the sugar-canes. 
Hence the strictness of the law for preserving 
cats, which remains to be noticed in a future 
page. 
About half the island, consisting of six hun- 
dred acres, is cultivated. The rest is too rocky 
