238 Miscellaneous. 



Thus, in addition to our Indian plants, the American caoutchouc is 

 supposed to be produced by Cecropia peltata, which belongs to C7r- 

 ticea and the ule tree of Papantla, from which the caoutchouc of that 

 country is obtained, is supposed to belong to the same orders. I 

 must, however, observe that Baron Humboldt objects to the suppo- 

 sition of Cecropia peltata yielding the American caoutchouc, as its 

 juice is difficult to inspissate*. 



The order Euphorbiacea would likewise appear to supply a large 

 quantity. Thus Dr. Lindley informs us that the true caoutchouc is 

 furnished by Sipkonia elastica, Hevia quiancusis of Aublet, a Surinam 

 and Brazilian tree ; and it is from a tree of this order that a substance 

 resembling caoutchouc is procured in Sierra Leone. 



Some Apocquea are also reported to produce good caoutchoucf; 

 thus Aricola elastica produces the caoutchouc of Sumatra, and it is 

 from this plant that caoutchouc has been produced in Penang and 

 exported to England $, Willughbeia edulis is likewise an Indian 

 plant from which caoutchouc has been produced, but Roxburgh says 

 it is of indifferent quality : unless I have been misled, good caoutchouc 

 is obtained from Nerium grandifloreum of Roxburgh. 



It is probably equally abundant in Asclepiadea ; one plant of which 

 order Cynanchum albifloreum has been stated to yield it of excellent 

 quality in Penang. Mr. Royle seems inclined to attribute the great 

 tenacity of the fibres of some plants of both these orders to its pre- 

 sence, but this supposition seems to me of very doubtful accuracy § . 



OBITUARY. 



The death of the Chevalier Frederic Cuvier (the news of which 

 reached us some time ago) has awakened the deepest regret among a 

 numerous circle of friends and savans. This excellent man was on 

 his return to Paris, from one of those annual journeys which his of- 

 fice of Inspector General to the University obliged him to make, and 

 was seized with paralysis at Strasbourg ; the alleviation is contained 

 in the reflection that he was in this city surrounded by friends and 

 the best medical aid, but neither affection nor skill could avail, 

 and in four days he was no more. He was born at Montbeliard, in 

 1773, was called to Paris by his illustrious brother, Baron George 

 Cuvier, and became keeper of the Menagerie at the Jardin des 



* Lindley's Introduction to Natural System of Botany, p. 176. 

 f Lindley's Instructions, p. .300. 



% Royle's Illustrations, p. 329, under Euphorbiacea, and p. 270, under 

 Apocquea. 



§ Royle's Illustrations, p. 274. 



