Habits of the Barn Oxd. 9 



liquid is imbibed. Some mix sugar with it, and others add a few drops of 

 lemon juice ; and by pouring fresh boiling water the infusion may be renewed. 

 200,000 arrobas, equal to five millions of pounds, are annually obtained 

 from Paraguay, 110 arrobas of which go to Chile, whence Lima and Quito 

 are supplied ; the rest is expended in the viceroyalty of Buenos Ayres." 

 (Sent, de Buenos Ayres.^ 



" There are three kinds of it in its prepared state, though produced 

 but by one plant. Caa is the distinctive Indian appellation of the plant ; 

 and the three sorts are called caa-cuys, caa-mini, and caa-guazu, the 

 last being denominated by the Spaniards yerva de palos. The people of 

 South America attribute innumerable virtues to this plant. It is cer- 

 tainly aperient and diuretic; but the other qualities^ ascribed to it are 

 doubtful. Like opium, it produces some singular and contrary effects : it 

 gives sleep to the restless, and spirit to the torpid. Those who have once 

 contracted the habit of taking it, do not find it an easy matter to leave it 

 off, or even to use it in moderation ; though, when taken to excess, it brings 

 on similar disorders to those which are produced by the immoderate use of 

 strong liquors." (Wilcocke's History of Buenos Ayres, p. 494.) 



A doubt has been expressed whether the /Mex, which M. Riedel "ob- 

 served to prevail in Brazil in various places, and which he denominates 

 /Mex paraguaiensis, may not rather be a species nearly allied to, but still 

 distinct from, that, and be the species which Dr. Martins has denominated 

 Cassine GongonhOy but which Mr. David Don has more accurately deno- 

 minated /Hex Gongonha* This is, however, a question in systematic 

 botany. In a popular view, it may be remarked that, as M. Riedel shows 

 (Vol. IV. p. 401.) both /Hex paraguaiensis and /Mex Gongonha to occur m. 

 Brazil, and also an additional species indicated by the name /Hex 

 nova species, the former two, and possibly all three, species are equally 

 applied or applicable to the supplying of that welcome beverage, tea. 

 While on this subject, it may not be amiss to notice, incidentally. 



The Plants employed as Tea in different Countries : — In Mexico, Pso- 

 ralea (?) glandulosa ; in New Granada, Alstonia thece^oi^mh (Mutis), which 

 is said to be equal to the tea of China; in North America, Gualthen'a pro- 

 cumbens and iedum latifolium ; in Paraguay, /Hex paraguaiensis and /Hex 

 Gongonha ; in New Holland, Corrae^a alba ; in Kamtschatka, Pedicularis 

 lanata; in China, Camelh« Bohea and viridis, mixed with the leaves of 

 C. Sasanqua^ or oleifera, and sometimes with those of OHea fragrans. {Don^ 

 in Lambert's Genus 'Pmus, and in Jameson's Journal.) 



Art. III. The Habits of the Barn Otvl {Strix Jlammea L., Aluco 

 Jldmmeiis Fleming), and the Benefits it confers on Man, By 

 Charles Vv^aterton, Esq. 



This pretty aerial wanderer of the night often comes into 

 my room ; and after flitting to and fro, on wing so soft and 

 silent that he is scarcely heard, he takes his departure from 

 the same window at which he had entered. 



* From Dr. Walsh's Notices of Brazil (vol. ii. p. 172.) we learn that the town of Congonhas 

 do Campo, seated at the base of Congonhas, a rugged ridge of rocky mountains piled up to the 

 clouds, and also the Rio das Congonhas, a considerable stream about thirty yards across, derive 

 their name from the abundance of the congonha plant found there. It is used universally as tea. 

 " It grows in marshy places, and Patricio, my Indian guide, brought me some branches of it 

 from the banks of the river. It attains the size of an orange tree, and has somewhat of its air and 

 aspect. The leaves are dried, or rather roasted, on twigs before the fire, where they crackle like 

 laurel, and are then reduced nearly to powder, and kept in pots. It is used sometimes as a hot 

 and sometimes as a cold infusion. I have drunk it prepared in three ways : either an infusion of 

 the fresh leaves, or made with the dried leaves like China tea, or boiled with sugar and then 

 drained off. The clear infusion exactly resembles that of common green tea ; but it is insipid, 

 and has nothing of its flavour or odour, nor, as far as my feelings warranted me to say, of its 

 exhilarating or refreshing quality." 



