Contents: Preface. I. Introduction. II. The land the people: 1. Geographical setting of the islands. 2. Topography, geology and soil. 3. Climate. 4. Natural ecosystems. 5. The people. 6. The settlers. 7. The aborigines. 8. The Negrito or Negrotoid group. 9. The Mongoloid group. III. Ethnology of the aborigines: 1. Negrito group (Andamanese). 2. History of origin and affinities of the Andamanese. 3. Tribes of Andamans. 4. The Great Andamanese: i. Population and the territory. ii. Language. iii. Physical characteristics, habits and behaviour. iv. Food and dwellings. v. Shelter. vi. Dress and adornment. vii. Family and kinship relations. viii. Life cycle rituals. ix. Subsistence economy. x. Religion, superstitions, legends and mythology. xi. The Jarawa: a. Territory and population. b. Habitat. c. Physical characteristics. d. Language. e. Dress, ornaments and adornments. f. Arms, tools and collecting implements. g. Food. h. Social life. 5. The sentinelese. 6. The Onge: i. People and territory. ii. Physical characteristics and population factor. iii. Social characteristics. 7. The Mongoloids. 8. The Shompen: i. History of origin. ii. Physical characteristics. iii. Demographic features. iv. Settlements and housing. v. Dress and adornments. vi. Weapons, implements, utensils and dugout canoes. vii. Food and medicine. viii. Social structure and life cycle rituals. 9. The Nicobarese: i. History of origin. ii. Territorial affinities. iii. Physical characteristics. iv. Clothes, ornaments and food habits. v. Housing, art and craft, implements, and canoe-making. vi. Life cycle rituals. vii. Religious beliefs, superstitions and the tatoos. IV. Enumeration of plant species with their ethnic uses: 1. Bryophyta. 2. Pteridophyta. 3. Gymnosperms. 4. Angiosperms: i. Dicotyledons. ii. Monocotyledons. 5. The other folklore claims. 6. Epilogue. V. References. VI. Index to botanical names.

"The book deals with a detailed account of plants and animals used by the Negrito and Mongoloid tribals of Andaman and Nicobar Islands in their routine life for food, shelter, dugout canoe making, toboos, rituals and medicines. The general features of the islands (climate, natural ecosystems and the people-both the settlers and the aborigines) have been given. The book also traces the history of origin and affinities of the aborigines, their language, physical characteristics, demographic features, settlements and housing, dress and adornments, weapons and food collecting implements, utensils, dugout canoe making, behaviour, food and dwellings, family and kinship relations, superstitions and tatoos, legends and mythology and life rituals. The Nicobarese are most advanced among all tribals and have adopted a distinct life style. Through this work, several unknown or lesser known uses of plants and other valuable information about the conservation ethics of the tribals have been brought to light. The studies may bridge the gap between conventional botany and medicinal aspects of plants by evaluating chemical principles and pharmaceutical investigations of these putative herbal medicines. The work is more important in the light that some of the Andamanese populations are facing the extinction. The renowned Scientist Dr. M.S. Swaminathan has written the foreword for the book." 

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