162 Linnean Society. [Dec. 16, 



similar instance among the forest-trees of British Guiana ; in this 

 latter case the tree produces berries, while the fruit of the Yarura is 

 a follicle containing several suborbiculate winged seeds, attached by 

 a long funiculus. The wood of the Yarura is light, elastic, and not 

 apt to splinter ; it might prove useful for gun-carriages, bulwarks of 

 vessels of war, &c. ; and might also, on account of its lightness, be 

 employed in floats or paddle-wheels of steam-vessels. It is much 

 in request for rollers in the cotton ginning machines, for which pur- 

 pose it is superior to any other wood in the colony. 



Purple-heart, or Mariwayana (Copaifera pubiflora, Benth., and 

 Cop. bracteata, Benth.). Rather scarce in the Coast Region, being 

 found in the mountainous tracts above the Cataracts. There are 

 several varieties or species, but all much alike, possessing great 

 strength and elasticity, and used for furniture, on account both of 

 their colour and durability. Used also for mortar-beds, being supe- 

 rior to any other wood in sustaining the shocks produced by the 

 discharge of artillery. The author was assured by Col. Moody, R.E., 

 that the Black Green-heart and the Purple-heart were the only 

 woods that stood the test as mortar-beds at the Siege of Fort 

 Bourbon, in the Island of Martinique. One variety (Cop. bracteata) 

 is very common in the Savannahs near the rivers Rupununi, Takutu 

 and Branco ; but this is of small size compared with the others. The 

 natives use the bark taken oif entire with the ends sewn together, 

 and strengthened by a slight frame-work for river canoes. 



Mapurakuni or Maipay^. The bark is used by the Indians for 

 colouring their arrow-points and pottery, as it produces a fine red 

 colour when steeped in water and mixed with Curraweru. It is a 

 large forest-tree. 



Burueh, Bully, or Bullet-tree (Mimusops sp.). A tree of the 

 largest size, often 6 feet in diameter, and having the trunk destitute 

 of branches nearly to the top. Leaves, branches and trunk pro- 

 ducing a whitish milk ; fruits the size of a coffee -berry, and when 

 ripe very delicious. Wood extremely solid, heavy, close-grained 

 and durable ; dark brown, variegated with small white specks ; 

 chiefly used in house -framing, for posts, floors, &c., as the weather 

 has but little influence on it, but also esteemed the most valuable 

 timber for the arms, shafts, &c. of windmills. It squares from 20 to 

 30 inches, and may be obtained from 30 to 60 feet long. In salt or 

 brackish water it is sure to be attacked by the worms. A tree cut 

 down by the author at Cuyuni, measured 67 feet to the first branches, 

 and thence to the top 49 feet — in all 116 feet. 



Payou-yeh (Etaballia Guianensis, Benth.). A tree growing only 



