1870. J BULGER — ON VEGETABLE PRODUCTIONS. 69 



it to have been one of the kinds of eagle-stone of the ancients. 

 Ainslie identifies it with the caretti of Kheede, and describes the 

 seeds as yellow, finely variegated with annular saflfron-coloured 

 zones, but these characters are not applicable to the common 

 form, in which the seeds are of a uniform grey, with the annular 

 markings very faint indeed. In Scotland they are often thrown 

 upon the sea-shore, and are there known as molucca-beans. The 

 genus was, according to Paxton, named in honour of Melchior 

 Guilandina, of Prussia, a great traveller, and a Professor of 

 Botany at Padua. 



Eagle-Wood (^Aquilaria agallocha Rox.) — It is now pretty 

 generally thought that the far-famed lign-aloes of sacred history 

 was the produce of a tree belonging to the genus Aquilaria of 

 the nat. ord. Aquilariacece ; and there are even grounds for 

 supposing it to have been furnished by the Aquilaria agallocha 

 of Roxburgh, fi'om which is obtained at least one kind of the 

 precious and fragrant resin known as calambac ; but, until more 

 accurate and precise information is forthcoming, the uncertainty 

 that has hitherto enshrouded the identity of this delightful and 

 glorious substance can scarcely be removed, or the halo of 

 romance and mystery which hangs around it entirely dispelled. 



Aquilaria agallocha is stated by Roxburgh to be a native of 

 the mountainous parts of India, east and south of Silhet, in about 

 the latitude of 24 '^ to 25*^ north; but, as there is abundant and 

 reliable testimony to show that a fragrant heart-wood, similar in 

 most respects to the produce of that tree, is brought from many 

 other countries, including Malacca, Java, Siam, and Cochin-Chin a, 

 it is quite evident that either the species under consideration, or 

 others possessing like qualities, are pretty widely distributed over 

 the continent and islands of Asia. Indeed, in works on eastern 

 botany two or three difl'erent kinds are recognized, but, so far as 

 I can learn, they have never been compared with Roxburgh's 

 agallocha, with a view towards ascertaining if they really are 

 specifically distinct. 



I have not seen the tree of Aquilaria agallocha, but it is stated 

 to be of immense size, and to possess a white, soft, light and 

 inodorous timber, the heart-wood alone being heavy, hard, dark 

 coloured, and highly fragrant. From the latter are extracted the 

 rich essential oil known in India as ugger^ and the costly resin 

 called calambac. Both of these are extensively used as perfumes, 

 and in the manufacture of incense. There are said to be several 



