assured me, is extremely difficult to digest, and even the healthi- 

 est suffer for two or three days after partaking of it. Probably 

 in order to assist the process of digestion, bokola, as dead man's 

 flesh is technically termed, is always eaten with the addition of 

 vegetables. There are principally three kinds, which in Fijian 

 estimation ought to accompany bokola, — the leaves of Malawari 

 {Tropins anthropopliagorum, Seem.), the Tudano [Omalanthus pe- 

 dlcellatus, Benth.), and the Boro dina {Solatium antliropophago- 

 rum, Seem.). The two former are middle-sized trees, growing 

 wild in many parts of the group, but the Boro dina is cultivated, 

 and there are generally several large bushes near every ' bure ' 

 (or strangers' house) where the bodies of those slain in battle 

 are always taken. The Boro dina is a bushy shrub, seldom higher 

 than six feet, with a dark glossy foliage, and berries of the shape 

 and colour of tomatoes. This fruit has a faint aromatic smell, 

 and is occasionally prepared like tomato sauce. The leaves of 

 these three plants are wrapped round the bokola, as those of the 

 Taro are around pork, and baked with it on heated stones. Salt 

 is not forgotten. Whilst every other kind of vegetable and meat 

 are eaten with the fingers, cannibal food is touched only with 

 forks, generally made of the wood of the Nokonoko {Caauarina 

 equisetlfolia) or the Vesi {Afzclla hijuga, A. Gray), bearing curious 

 names, and having three to four long prongs. The reason given 

 for this deviation from the general mode of eating is a wide- 

 spread belief that fingers which have touched bokola are apt to 

 generate cutaneous diseases when coming in contact with the 

 tender skin of children, and as the Fijians are very fond of their 

 offspring, they are most scrupulous in using forks on the above 

 occasions." 



The Boro dina above mentioned is the subject of our present 

 Plate. Our plants were reared from seed brought home by Dr. 

 Seemann, and which flowered in the stove of the Royal Gardens 

 in July. Except when in fruit, this species of Solatium has no 

 beauty to recommend it for cultivation : it is only interesting 

 historically as connected with a practice which is happily yearly 

 becoming more and more obsolete. 



Fig. 1. Calyx, including the pistil. 2. Corolla laid open, ■ illi stamens nnd 

 pistil, — magnified. 3. Fruits, — mil. size. 4. Transverse section of | fruit, — 

 uat. size. 



