prominent or conical as in Scoresby's Sound. The north sides of the mountains were snowy; the south, green. With the exception of a very deep inlet south from Robison's Island, the coast was little indented.

Capt. D. was at one time within six or seven miles of the mainland, about forty miles north from Robison's Island, which was considerably verdant, very flat, and apparently about ten miles long, and five broad.

Sayers Island is rocky and barren, about half a mile long, and one-quarter broad.

There was little fast and not much drift ice to be met with. A good deal of drift timber was observed floating, and several icebergs grounded along the shore. The current was setting without interruption during the twenty-four hours that the two vessels were in that quarter, south and west, at the rate of one and a half mile per hour. There was no inset or offset of the tides observed. No whales were seen, and few seals, or birds, except kittiwakes; these were abundant. No appearance of natives. The weather was very sleety.

Gales Land, therefore, seems to form the imaginary line of coast laid down in Scoresby's Chart, published in his recent "Journal of Discoveries in the Arctic Regions," extending from Cape Barclay in the north to Ollumlongni Frith on the south; and the island laid down there north of this frith would seem to` be what Capt. Duncan has termed Robison's Island: it lies in about 67° lat.; 25° long. He was at one time of the day within five miles of it. In the years 1821 and 1822, he had coasted almost all the land described by Scoresby north of Cape Barclay; and was as far as 40 miles up Scoresby's Sound, and he bears testimony to the accuracy of that intelligent navigator. Jameson's Land he believes to be an island.

This voyage, which reflects so much credit on the enterprise and skill of Capt. Duncan, promises to be highly interesting to arctic geography; and may throw light on the fate of the lost colonies of Greenland; for it is highly probable that in Gales Land rather than any where else, they may be sought for with some chance of success. From Capt. Duncan's description, neither the climate nor the land seems to be inhospitable, or inaccessible if visited at a favourable period of the year.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

LAWRENCE EDMONSTON.

ARTICLE XII.

ANALYSES OF Books.

Transactions of the Linnean Society of London. Vol. XIV.

Part I. 1823.

(Concluded from p. 306.)

VII. Account of the Lansium and some other Genera of Malayan Plants. By William Jack, MD. Communicated by Henry Thomas Colebrooke, Esq. FRS. and LS.

This paper commences with the following observations :--"There are a variety of highly esteemed fruits, which may be considered as peculiar to the Malayan Archipelago, or what has been not unaptly denominated India aquosa, and are not to be found beyond its limits. Many of these are already well known; but there are others which have not yet fallen under the observation of botanists, or are only to be found described in the Hortus Amboinensis of Rumphius, which, though a work of wonderful accuracy and research, stands in need of illustration with reference to the progress that has been made in botanical science since the period at which it was written. Among these the Lanseh, the Tampooi, and the Choopa, hold no undistinguished place, and the following account of these plants will therefore not be uninteresting. The first is already partially known from Rumphius, and Mr. Marsden's History of Sumatra; but its true place and family have hitherto remained doubtful. To these I have subjoined descriptions of a few other genera from the same interesting quarter, which appear to be new and to deserve

notice."

LANSIUM.

Decandria Monogynia. N. O. Meliacea Juss.

Calyx 5-partitus. Corolla 5-petala, petalis subrotundis. Tubus staminiferus globosus, ore subintegro, antheris decem inclusis. Ovarium 5-loculare, loculis 1-2-sporis. Stylus brevis, columnaris. Stigma planum, 5-radiatum. Bacca corticata, 5-locularis, 5-sperma, uno alterove loculo tantum semen perficiente. Semina integumento exteriore pulposo sapido. Albumen nullum; cotyledonibus inæqualibus peltalis.

Arbores, foliis pinnatis, floribus racemosis.

LANSIUM DOMESTICUM.

Langsat or Lanséh. Malay. Lansium. Rumph. Amb. i. p. 151. t. 54. Marsden's History of Sumatra, pl. v. p. 101. Native of the Malay Islands.

Var. B. L. aqueum.

Foliolis subtus villosis, racemis densis sæpius solitariis, fructibus globosis. Ayer Ayer. Malay.

"The Ayer Ayer so nearly resembles the Lanséh in most particulars, that I hesitate to rank it as a distinct species, and content myself with mentioning it as a permanent and well-marked variety. They are principally distinguished by the Malays by their fruit, that of the Ayer Ayer being rounder, and the pulp more watery (whence the name), and dissolving more completely in the mouth than that of the Lanséh. Both are highly esteemed by the Malays, and are equally agreeable to the European palate. The juicy envelope of the seeds is the part eaten, and the taste is cooling and pleasant.

"This genus has hitherto been known only from Rumphius's figure and description, and its place in the system has therefore continued uncertain. From an examination of the fruit, M. Correa de Serra conjectured it to be intermediate between the families of Aurantia and Guttifera, but the structure of the flower determines its true place to be among the Meliacea.

"I have further met in the forests near Bencoolen with a tree which appears to agree very nearly with the Lansium montanum Rumph. Amb. i. p. 154. t. 56. It differs in the number of the stamens, styles and seeds from the Lansium described above, but agrees with it exactly in carpological structure, and in general habit. Its characters coincide very nearly with those of Roxburgh's Milnea. They are as follow:

"Calyx five-parted. Corolla five-petalled. Stamineous tube subglobose, entire at the mouth; anthers five, within the tube. Styles two. Stigmas two, simple. Berries globose, about the size of the domestic Lansék, 1-2-celled, 1-2-seeded. Seeds enveloped in a thin subtransparent pulpy tunic or envelope, which has somewhat the flavour of the Lanséh, but with a bitterish and rather disagreeable smell."

"Milnea is perhaps scarcely distinct from Lansium; but if admitted as a separate genus, the above will constitute a second species, differing from M. edulis Roxb. in being digynous, and may be denominated M. montana."

HEDYCARPUS.

Tetrandria Monogynia.

Perianthium 4-partitum, inferum.

Stamina 4. Ovarium

3-loculare, loculis disporis. Stigmata tria. Capsula baccata, 3-valvis, 3-locularis, seminibus arillo sapido tunicatis. Embryo inversus, albumine inclusus. Arbor foliis alternis simplicibus, floribus racemosis.

The stamens are occasionally five in number, with a five-parted perianth and four-celled ovary.

HEDYCARPUS MALAYANUS.

Bera Tampui. Malay. Sumatra.

PIERARDIA. Roxb.

Perianthium 4-partitum. Stamina octo, brevia. Ovarium 3-loculare, loculis disporis. Stigma trifidum. Bacca corticata, trilocularis, loculis 1-2-spermis. Semina arillo sapido tunicata. Embryo inversus albumine inclusus.

Arbores, floribus racemosis, foliis alternis simplicibus.

PIERARDIA DULCIS.

Monoica, foliis obovatis. Bua Choopa. Malay. Sumatra. "This species differs from that described by Roxburgh in being monoecious, in the form of the leaves, and in the colour of the fleshy aril. The Rambeh, of which Mr. Marsden has given a figure in his History of Sumatra, pl. vi. p. 101, so nearly resembles this, that I think it can only be a variety of the same. The Rambeh belongs to the peninsula of Malacca, and is unknown at Bencoolen; while the Choopa, which is abundant at the latter place, is not found in the former. The racemes of the Rambeh are longer and the fruit smaller than in the Choopa; but a comparison and examination of the two would be necessary to ascer tain whether there are any essential differences, and I have not had an opportunity of doing this."

LEUCONOTIS.

Tetrandria Monogynia. N. O. Apocinea. Br.

Calyx inferus, 4-partitus. Corolla tubulosa, superne angustior, limbo 4-lobo. Stamina 4, inclusa, laciniis corolla alterna. Ovarium simplex, biloculare, loculis disporis. Stylus 1, brevis. Stigma annulatum, apice conico. Bacca 1-3-sperma. Semina exalbuminosa, embryone inverso.

Frutex lactescens, foliis oppositis exstipularibus, floribus dichotome corymbosis axillaribus.

LEUCONOTIS ANCEPS.

Akar Morai. Malay. Sumatra.

"This singular plant belongs without doubt to the family of the Apocynea, with which its general appearance and habit entirely correspond. It agrees with Cerbera in having exalbuminous seeds; but its ovary is simple like that of Carissa; it will therefore hold an intermediate place between these two genera."

MYRMECODIA.

Tetrandia Monogynia. N. O. Rubiacea.

Calyx subinteger. Corolla quadrifida tubo intus ad insertionem staminum piloso. Stamina quatuor, corollâ breviora.

Stylus staminibus longior. Stigma simplex.

quadrilocularis, tetrasperma.

p.

Bacca ovata,

Parasitica basi tuberosa, flores basibus petiolorum semitecti.

MYRMECODIA TUBEROSA.

Nidus germinans formicarum rubrarum. Rumph. Amb. vi. 119. t. 55. fig. 2. Found at Pulo Nias.

"This singular plant is found parasitic upon old trees, in the form of a large irregular tuber, from which arise a few thick, short, fleshy branches. The Leaves are crowded at the rounded extremities of these branches, and are opposite, petiolate, obovate-oblong, with a short acumen, attenuated to the petiole, entire, very smooth, somewhat leathery. Petioles long, roundish, inserted on a large persistent peltate knob, whose edges expand into a kind of stipule, ciliated along the margin with dense strigose fibres, and cleft above in the axil of the petiole. The flowers are sessile, closely disposed in the spaces between the stipular bases of the petioles and half concealed under their projecting edges. Calyx membranaceous, superior, nearly entire. Corolla white, tubular, quadrifid; segments erect, rather acute; a villous ring within the tube immediately below the insertion of the stamens. Stamens four, shorter than the corolla, and alternate with its segments; anthers white, two-celled. Style longer than the stamens. Stigma simple, tomentose. Ovary four-celled, four-seeded. Berry ovate, smooth, white with longitudinal lines, four-celled, four-seeded. Seeds furnished with albumen; embryo in its axis.

"There can be no doubt of this being the plant described by Rumphius, although the leaves are represented more acute in his figure than they are in my specimens."

HYDNOPHYTUM.

Tetrandria Monogynia. N. O. Rubiacea. Juss.

Calyx integer. Corolla limbo 4-fido, fauce pilosâ. Stamina 4, brevia, fauci inserta. Stigma bifidum. Bacca disperma. Super arbores parasitica, basi tuberosa, floribus axillaribus.

HYDNOPHYTUM FORMICARUM.

Nidus germinans formicarum nigrarum. Rumph. Amb. vi. p. 119. t. 55. fig. 1. Prio Hantu. Malay. On trees in the

forests of Sumatra.

"This grows parasitic on trees in the form of a large irregular tuber, fastening itself to them by fibrous roots, and throwing out several branches above. The tuber is generally inhabited by ants, and hollowed by them into numerous winding passages, which frequently extend a good way along the branches also, giving them the appearance of being fistular. Leaves opposite,