( a ) 
interesting grasses, were burnt up to such a degree that it was impossible 
to determine anything beyond the family to which they belonged. In the 
first-half of May, the regular rains set in with great force, and rendered the 
jungles very unhealthy. 
The best time of exploring these Islands is undoubtedly shortly before the 
close of the rains, viz., from October. In this season, drinking water is still 
to be had everywhere in the interior parts, and the Mora has not yet suffered 
from the influence of a dry and hot season. 
4. The time allotted to me for the exploration of these Islands was too 
The time of deputation granted too short for a botanical investigation of a tract of land 
short to explore the whole of the extending nearly over three geographical degrees, 
Island ‘ and destitute of any other means of communication 
than that by water, and consisting of pathless jungles, for the most part never 
before trodden by any European. 
The difficulty I had in obtaining at Port Blair such a conveyance as 
would enable me to do my work more systematically retarded much the 
progress of my explorations. I, therefore, was obliged to restrict my excur¬ 
sions to South Andaman and adjacent islands,—the most important part of 
the group, and extending over rather more than 1,200 square miles. 
5. The whole of South Andaman and Butland is a hilly country, 
Geological features of South Anda- traversed by narrow and steep ridges of no great 
man and adjacent islands * height, and encircled by a complete reef, on which 
a line of breakers is foaming during the rise of the tide. 
These dangerous reefs are formed chiefly of Gary op hy Ilia, Madrepora , 
Porites , Meandria , and other reef-forming corals. Between high and low 
water-mark there exists in some places a swampy mass formed by a large 
number of yellow and flesh-colored carnous sponges, covering the coral reefs, 
and exhaling a disagreeable smell in the neighbourhood. 
The principal ranges all run from south by west to north by east, thus 
somewhat in the direction of the lines of out-crop of the different strata. They 
are most developed along the eastern coasts, where they attain sometimes a 
height of 1,200 to 1,300 feet, sending out numerous spurs towards the sea. 
Eord Peak on Butland Island may perhaps exceed 2,000 feet in elevation, 
and the Saddle Mountain in North Andaman is rather more than 3,000 feet 
high. Towards the western coasts they gradually become lower; and nowhere 
on that coast are higher ridges observed than from 200 to 300 feet elevation, 
bounding usually fertile valleys of comparatively large size. Some isolated 
hills, however, may be seen further inland, which I estimate to be between 
500 and 600 feet high. 
The whole surface appears to be intersected everywhere by numerous steep 
ravines, which open out in all directions, and cause great difficulty in penetrat¬ 
ing to the interior parts of the Islands, which, I suppose, lay in general at a 
verv low level. 
The hills and ridges slope very precipitously along the sides towards the 
sea. commonly at an angle of about 45°, and often far more. On their sides, 
towards the interior, this angle is generally reduced to 20° or 25°, but exceptions 
can be seen everywhere. 
The geological formations of the whole of South Andaman and Labyrinth 
Archipelago, as well as of the southern parts of Middle Andaman, are, as 
Mr. W. Blanford, Deputy Superintendent of the Geological Survey, Madras, 
'ir/'ormed me, quite indentical with those of the Arracan coast. 
* For the determination of the rocks and other valuable communications, I 
Mr. W. Blanford, of the Geological Survey of India. 
am indebted to Dr. Stoliczka, and 
