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former reports on these islands give ample examples of this, and we see 
the strangest forms, as pines, beeches, poplars, aloes, &c., noted as growing 
here. 
But even when the species is well determined, we may fail to recognize 
correctly the same ex habitu in another spot physically differing. This is not 
only the case on the Andamans, but in all countries which possess more or less 
a tropical nature. Thus on the sandstone formation Dillenia aurea , Mimusops 
Indicci , Sterculia ornata , Bterocarpus dalbergioides , and a number of others 
appear as immense trees, nearly 80-100 feet high, with a straight and unbranched 
stem like a wood-oil tree, but the same trees remain stunted and branched 
from the first-half of their length on localities where chalk much influences 
them. 
The elevation at which they grow changes the habit still more, though the 
mountains of the Andamans are not high enough to make the difference con¬ 
spicuous. 
Quality of timber.—We do not possess as yet a thorough knowledge of the 
value of the timber trees in British India, nor do we possess a general list of 
the trees growing in the Indian forests. All attention has been directed to a 
comparatively few kinds, which primarily, from native experience or by some 
accident, have been found most durable and fit for practical use. Any experi¬ 
mental review and general identification of all the Indian forest trees never has 
been undertaken, and, therefore, we remain in doubt, or even in total ignorance, 
about the value of nearly two-thirds of the known forest trees. 
It is also a fact that the same species of timber tree changes in quality 
according to locality. 
Under such circumstances, it is not easy to enter into any particulars about 
the quality of timber trees of the Andamans, until we have ascertained their 
value by experiment. 
Uncertainty of Burmese Names .—It is difficult even in Burmah to obtain 
the correct native names for plants; but at Port Blair this uncertainty becomes 
absolute bewilderment, as we have to do with convicts who have no interest in 
any plant whatever, except edible vegetable productions. Therefore quotations 
of Burmese names can be made only with great uncertainty, especially as the 
Burmese convicts—the only ones whom I had to consult—appeared to me 
very ignorant. 
Similar confusion in the Burmese names I observed amongst Major B. Ford’s 
specimens of woods for the Paris Exhibition of 1867, where I saw “ Moong” 
and “ Tit-kya” as different timber, but the branches hearing these names 
were evidently the same plant; also in the specimens called “ Tit-phew” 
and “ Chownoo.” Tit-phew, however, has been pointed out to me by my men 
to be some Lagerstroemia, whilst the branches bearing that name seemed to be 
Euphorbiacea. In the same way, Tit-kya, I found to be Podocarpus polyslachya, 
and Moong a Diospyros, though branches shown to me are both Diospyros, 8fC. 
Their excuses in such instances were commonly that the same name was applied 
to different kinds, and consequently I obtained, for instance, for Baccaurea 
sapida, Dracontomelon sylvestre, Irina glabra and some Ixora altogether the 
name of gnasoo ! 
Trees observed in the forests, their girths, die.—No trees of such an enormous 
size, as noted from Burmah, have been observed by me on the Andamans. The 
largest wood-oil trees which I measured had only a girth of 14 feet 7 inches 
and 15 feet 3 inches, by a height, perhaps, of 120 feet; whilst Dr. Wallich 
notes them in bis reports as having a girth of 21 feet 4 inches. Trees 250 feet 
high, as reported to exist in that country, I nowhere met with on these islands. 
In an appendix I have drawn up a list of the Andamanese forest trees and 
their girths, &c. I hope it will give some general idea of these forests, though 
some common species could not be identified on account of their being at the 
time of my visit quite leafless and flowerless. 
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