PREFACE TO TIIK FIKST F>DITIO>:. XI 



very dcfcetivc, givinj? jjopular names, as beans and lentils, -n-bicli are indefi- 

 nilo and applicable to diliercnt species, and even to different genera, witbout 

 tbe systematic names, wbicb alone are definite and enable a translator to 

 render accurately.' Occasionally bis statements are erroneous. Of agallo- 

 cbum or wood-aloes be says, " Tbere is a species of tbis tree tbat grows in tbo 

 ]\I<)luccas called (jaro, Linn;eus bas desci'ibcd it as Kaccaria (tgallocha." It 

 would perbaps be diiKcult to find two trees in tbe wbole vegetable kingdom 

 witli more ojiposite properties tban tbcse two species. Tbe Burmese are 

 well acquainted witb botb. Mr. O'lliley observed correctly tliat " Akyau 

 is a very fragrant and a very scarce wood, of bigb value witb tbe natives." 

 Tbis is agallocbum or wood-aloes. Tbe otber is a tree tbat tbe Burmese 

 call ta-i/aii, abundant near tbe sea, tbe juice of wbicb is said to produce tbe 

 most intense pain, and often blindness if it enters tbe eye. From its power 

 to produce blindness, tbe Karens call it tbe "blind tree"; and tbe natives are 

 all of tbem so mucb afraid of it tbat I bave sometimes found it difficult to 

 induce my boatmen to pull up bencatb its sbade. 



In Carpenter's Natural History of tbe Bible, a popular Englisb work, 

 reprinted by Abbott in America, a description of tbe gecko is given wortby of 

 tbe days of King Artbur. "Itistbus described," says tbeautbor, "by Ccpede. 

 Of all tbe oviparous quadrupeds wbose bistory we are publisbing, tbis is tbo 

 first tbat contains a deadly poison. Tbis deadly lizard, wbicb deserves all 

 our attention by bis dangerous properties, bas some resemblance to tbe 

 cbameleon. Tbe name gcckoo imitates tbe cry of tbis am'nial, wbicb is 

 beard especially before rain. It is found in Egj'pt, India, Amboyna, etc. 

 It iubabits by cboice tbe crannies of balf-rotten trees, as well as bumid 

 jjlaces. It is sometimes met witb in bouses, wbere it occasions great alarm, 

 and wbere everv exertion is used to destroy it speedily. Bontius states tbat 

 its bite is so venomous tbat if tbo part bitten be not cut away or burned, 

 deatb ensues in a few bours." 



It is well known in India tbat tbe gecko is as barmless as tbe cricket. 

 I bave bad tbem drop from tbe ceiling upon my naked band, and bang 

 suspended by tbe feet from my fingers witbout tbe sligbtest pain or inflam- 

 mation ensuing. 



Stuart on Rev. xxi. 1(S, says, " Tlie bottom row of foundation stones 

 was jasper, wbicb is of a green transparent colour streaked witb red 

 veins " Sucb a definition of jasjDer I bave never been able to find in any 

 work on mineralogy, and Webster, following Dana, defines it, " An opake 

 impure variety of quartz, of red, yellow and also of some dull colours." 



' See too a nu'ious recent illustratuni in the Ai)[)cu(lix, under Marco Polo and Polar bears. 



