278 NOTES ON THE BOTANY OF CEYLON. 
192. Hat of the leaves of the Berd, or Arrow-grass (Gynerium sac- 
charoides). Made at the Pueblo de Monagas, near the upper mouth 
of the Casiquiare. The rough cuticle is scraped off the leaves, and 
they are then split up into strips of convenient breadth. These hats 
are of very ugly form, but for flexibility and durability they can hardly 
be surpassed. I have seen them nowhere but on the Guainia and 
Casiquiare, though the material exists in endless abundance on the 
Amazon. s 
193. Two sheets of Marima blanca, the bark of an epiphytal Ficoidea, 
found on the upper Casiquiare. The Indians on the Casiquiare and 
upper Orinoco make themselves smocks of this, to preserve their bodies 
from the bites of mosquitos, It corresponds to the Tururí of Brazil. 
194. Shallow circular dasket, made by Maquiritare Indians on the 
em Rio Cunueunáma, of slips of some Bamboo which has very long inter- 
E: nodes (perhaps the same species as they use for the inner tubes of their 
blowing-canes). - i 
195. Three gallons of Oil of Sassafras (in a demijohn). Extracted 
on the rivers Casiquiare and Siapa, from a large Lauraceous tree (Nec- 
tandra cymbarum, Nees — Ocotea cymbarum, Humb.), by cutting out a . 
large wedge (reaching to the centre), near the base of the tree, or better 
by boring with an auger. 
(To be continued.) 
- 
Notes on the Botany of Ceylon, extracted from a letter from G. H. K. 
— Tuwas, Esg., Royal Botanic Gardens, Peradenia, Ceylon, May 
28, 1855. 
=- lam just returned from one of the most interesting botanical excur- 
sions I have yet made in the Island, and have brought home with me 
several species of plants quite new to me ;—amongst them a very fine 
- Dendrobium, which put my draughtsman into an ecstasy, and which is 
certainly very beautiful. T enclose a dried flower and leaf, and will take 
_ care you shall have a plant* of it the first opportunity that offers. I 
met with a curious little tree, probably a species of Phaleria, Jack, with 
subsimple branches, with opposite leaves, and with clusters of white 
flowers and red berries situated on the trunk: I could only find one 
tree of it. Another interesting plant was a bilabiate Rudiacea, which 
.* The drawing and living plant have been received at Kew.—Ep. 
