specimens preserved in spirits ; together with a representa- 
tion of the tree, from a drawing made in the Seychelles 
Islands, by M. Liter. This is followed by an account of 
the uses of the Palm, communicated to the Museum of 
Natural History at Paris, by M. Queau-Quincy, Corres- 
pondant et Administrateur Genéral des Isles Seychelles. 
These accounts, in conjunction with some nuts that Mr. 
Barcray and myself received from our inestimable friend 
and correspondent, Cuartes TeLrair, Esq. of the Mauri- 
tius, only served to stimulate our curiosity ; and we re- 
quested Mr. Tetrair, to procure, if possible, either from 
the Palms that he informed us were cultivated in the Isle 
of France, or from the Seychelles Islands, such specimens 
as would enable us to publish more satisfactory delinea- 
tions than had yet appeared. The Isle of France Palms 
had not yet fructified; but Mr. Texrarr lost no time in 
begging his friend J. Harrison, Esq. of the Seychelles, to 
obtain the necessary specimens. With the utmost promp- 
titude and kindness, that gentleman devoted several days 
to visiting, with a dozen of blacks, the Isles of Praslin and 
Curieuse ; and in the midst of those little known islands, 
he not only made drawings from the living trees, but pro- 
cured and forwarded to us, through Mr. Trxrair, the Male 
and Female Spadices and Fruit, in different states, pre- 
served in spirits, with Leaves, a Seedling Plant, and even 
with a portion of the Trunk. All these, except the fully 
ripened fruit, arrived in safety. A perfect representation 
therefore, of the mature nut, is still wanting. _ : 
_ Much of the description of the plant here given has 
been communicated by Mr. Harrison ; and we have now 
to offer some further remarks, from the same valuable source. 
The Seychelles, or Mahé Islands, as they are sometimes 
called, lie to the N. East of Madagascar, in about 5° S. 
latitude, and 55° E. longitude. It 1s in this groupe only, 
that the Palm is found, and among them, on no others than 
the Isles of Praslin and Curieuse, and Round Island. These 
are within half a mile of each other, mountainous and 
rocky, and the soil poor. The common Cocoa nut (Cocos 
nucifera) occupies the sea coast; but all other parts are, 
or have been entirely covered with ‘‘ Cocos de Mer.” “ To 
behold these,”” says Mr. Harrison, “ growing in thousands, 
close to each other, the sexes intermingled ;—a numerous 
offspring starting up on all sides, sheltered by the parent 
plants ;—the old ones fallen into the sear and yellow leaf, 
and going fast to decay, to make room for the young —_ 
2 
