72 
Bronze Medallion Portrait of Dr. Gray. — We present on the 
preceeding page, from Science, an engraving of an admirable bronze 
medallion of Dr. Asa Gray, by Saint Gaudens, a gift to Harvard Col- 
lege from some of the doctor's friends and associates, 
*' It is an excellent likeness of our distinguished botanist, and a fine 
specimen of the artist's peculiar work. It has the earnestness and 
geniality of expression which the passing years seem to impress more 
forcibly upon Dr. Gray's countenance; and the artist has so wrought 
the stubborn material as to impart grace and apparent flexibility to 
the flowing locks. This admirable work* of art, representing, as it 
does, in so thoroughly an artistic manner, one of the leading scientific 
men of America, will be worthily placed upon the walls of the col- 
lege halls, with which his name and fame will be forever associated.' 
Sabal umbracuUfera — In Notes on the Wint 
lift 
as one of the distinguishing features of the flora of Bermuda. As 
this palm is a native of the hottest parts of Jamaica (Lat. N-, i8), I 
was much surprised to find it naturalized so far north as Bermuda 
(Lat. N., 32). On turning, however, to the Botany of Bermuda, by 
General Sir John H. Lefroy, I find he gives Sabal Palmetto, the pal- 
metto of the Southern States, as the universal palm of Bermuda, 
and does not mention S, ujnbraculifera at all. Hence I think Mr. 
Kemp has by inadvertence given the latter for the former palm. 
This is an important point in geographical botany, for it would have 
been a singular instance of the hardihood of a plant which here lives 
under all the conditions of a coco-nut palm, but said to flourish and 
become universal when the latter had only a struggling existence. 
Gordon Town, Jamaica. D. Morris. 
Kalmia as a Tonic— I note in the Bulletin for May, 1885, the 
mention of Kalmia atigustifolia being used as a tonic by Indians. 
Why not, even if it possesses the poisonous properties of its congener 
K, latifolia~\\\\\c\\ it most assuredly does— as far North as Nova 
Scotia ? It kills lambs in the spring there, when but little other 
herbage has commenced growth, hence its name " lamb-kill/' This 
I have verified by three years observation in that country. But why 
surprise should be excited at its use as a tonic I am at a loss to 
imagine, when some of our best tonics contain arsenic and nux 
vomica. 
J. Hart. 
(But arsenic and mix vomica are not remedies among the In- 
dians, and we presume that the surprise of the author of the note 
alluded to was that a plant reputed as poisonous should be used by 
them as a tonic. Of course, among civilized peoples the selection o 
deadly drugs as remedies is of so common occurrence as to excite n 
comment. — Ed.) 
The Word Savoyanne,— In the article upon Copiis, in the Drugs 
' M«ri;,^,'r,^c. ^r M^^fi, A,«^-.Vo tUp prUtnrq «;av "In rrencn 
and Medicines of North America, the editors say: 
towns in Canada, we are informed by Dr. Mignault, )t 
[ Coptis] 
