BH. P. WELWITSCn OK THE GUM COPAL IN AKGOLA. 287 



WelwitS€h. M 



I the Geographical Distribution of 

 West Tropical Africa. By Fked. 



[Read Feb. 15, 1866.] 



At the Meeting of the Linnean Society on the 21st December 

 last year, a paper on Amber was read, and reference was made to 

 the various kinds of Grum Copal. I much regret that illuess pre- 

 vented, my being present at that Meeting, but being desirous to 

 contribute somewhat to the knowledge of this valuable resin, I 

 take the liberty of offering the Linnean Society some remarks on 

 this subject, mostly taken from notes and observations made du- 

 ring my travels in West Tropical Africa. If my observations are 

 not conclusive, especially with regard to the species of trees 

 which at present furnish, or may have formerly furnislied, this 

 resin, I hope at least to be able to show that nearly all the 

 opinions heretofore published on this subject are more or less 

 erroneous i and my remarks may therefore induce future re- 

 searches in a different direction, which may lead to a more satis- 

 factory result. 



I shall commence my remarks by stating the most important 

 tacts as to the nature and appearance of Copal, and its geographi- 

 cal distribution in Angola ; next I shall speak of its varieties and 

 its mercantile importance ; and finally say a few words on the 

 supposed origin of this valuable resin, stating the observations of 

 other authors, and the views formed by myself during my resi- 

 dence in Tropical Africa. 



1. On the occurrence^ appearance, the geographical disfributiortj and 

 the 7nanner of gathering Gum Copal in Angola. — Gum Copal, which 

 18 called by the Bunda negroes Ocote CocotOy or Mucocoto (and which 

 IS found in the hilly or mountainous districts all along the coast 

 of Angola, including the districts of Congo and Benguella, lately 

 united with that province, and also in some places even further 

 <?ast), is brought by the natives to the different market-places on 

 the coast of Angola near the Atlantic Ocean, amongst which the 

 most important are Ambriz, Loaudo, Novo Eodondo, Benguella, 

 and Mossamedes. The larger quantities of this resin are mostly 

 lound in the sandy soil, which is studded with thorny bushes of 

 Acacia, Dichrostachis, and aphyllous Etiphorhice, or sometimes 

 covered here and there with forests of Diospyros, Leguminosa*, 

 t^aesalpinese, Combretaceae, and Celastrineie, and which is ttlluatcd 

 lu the hilly region extending, with little interruption, across 700 



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