22 
The Natural Hiftory of JAMAICA. 
The whole Tree in all its Parts is extreamly milky,.and is accounted 
oyfonous, whence its Name. 
ay ee near Collonel Bourden’s Plantation beyond Gaanaboa, and near 
the Town, as well as inall the Caribe Iflands. 
The Bark of this Tree being deeply gafh’d, yields a great Quantity of 
Milk, which on Evaporation turns toBird-lime : This is made ufe of in the 
Indian-Corn Fields, whither the Parroquets come (0 feed. So foon as 
one is taken and makes a Noife, the reft come and perch about it, .fo that 
moft of them are taken likewife. 2 Be 
It may be doubted whither this be not the Curspicaiba of an anony- 
mus Portugal of Brafil. Apud. Purchas. Lib. 7. Cap. i. p. 1308. of which 
is made Bird-Lime, and which cures Wounds. 
XII. Laurifolia arbor folio latiore longo mucronato levi |plendente, cortice 
interiore in telas plurimas linearum emulas extenfils. Cat. p. 137. Tab. 168. 
Fig. 1, 2, 3- Tab. 169. Fig. 1. Arbor Americana Sindophoros laurifolia, 
ficus Indica modo radicofa, linteaminis [pecicm mira tenuitatis, quafi telam 
arancamfub externo cortice proferens. Plaken. Alm. p. 41. 
Lageto. 
The Branches I had fent me of this Tree (which I was told was not 
very large) had a white Wood, afmall Pith, and were cover’d witha 
fmooth, light brown, or grey colour’d ftriated outward Bark. The in- 
ward Bark was folid and white. The Branches were divided into feveral 
Twigs, which are befet with Leaves alternatively on oppofite Sides, 
ftariding on one quarter of an Inch long Foorftalks, which when they fall 
of leave on the Twig a protuberant Mark. Eeach Leaf is about four 
Inches long and two and a half broad near the round Bafe, where broad- 
eft, having one Middle and feveral tranfverfe Ribs, being of a yellowifh 
green colour, fhining, thick and fmooth. What is molt ftrange in this 
‘Tree is, thac the inward Bark is made up of about twelve Coats, 
Layers, or Tunicles, appearing white and folid, which if cut off for 
fome Length, clear’d of its outward Cuticula, or Bark, and extended 
by the Fingers, the Filaments or Threads thereof leaving fome rhomboi- 
dal Enterftices, greater or fmaller according to the Dimenfions you ex- 
tend it to, form a Web not unlike Gaufe, Lace, or thin Muflin, in 
Length and Breadth proportionable to the Length and Circumference of 
the Branch from which the Bark fo extended was cut, This imi- 
tates Linens, Gaufe, or Lace fo much, that in Scarcity it has been 
made ufe of in lieu of them for Mourning Linen both for Men and Wo- 
men, and unlefs one know them well and look attentively, he will not 
perceive the Difference. I was told likewife, that ic would bear wafhing 
as wellas other Linen; and that King Charles the Second had a Cravat 
made of this prefented to him by Sir Thomas Lynch Governor of Famazica. 
I had it from Mr. Leming, who fent: it me from Lwidas, an Inland 
mountainous, Plantation, where thefe Treesgrew ingreat Plenty. 4 
 Ieappears bythe following Paifages, that Cloth analogous to this is 
found in feveral Places of both Jvdses ‘and Africa, and that it fo refembles 
our Cloths, that the Inhabitants when they firlt faw ours, thought it 
grew upon our ‘Trees, aa : 
Pigaferta makes mention of the inner Bark of a Tree call’d Exzands. 2 
fort of Mangrove Tree: in Congo, which beaten, ‘lean’d, and ftretch’d 
in length, is made inte Webs fit tor Cloathing the meaner Sore of People. 
Antonius 
