118 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



the leaves touch the ground. The Pahii-birds congregate Hke 

 sparrows, and make a great chattering. 



A tree which towers above the thicket is the Kapok, or Silk- 

 wool tree, Erlodeadron anfrw.tunsum. It grows to about loo 

 feet, with thick, straight trunk, and horizontal, whorled branches. 

 The seed-pods are very numerous, and supply the kapok of 

 commerce, which is the silky hair in which the seeds are em- 

 bedded. 



Another plant peculiar to Nigeria is the Ordeal or Calabar 

 Bean, Physistigma venenosum, a, leguminous climber, reaching a 

 height of 30 or 40 feet. The brown beans — of which a few are 

 exhibited — are used by the " witch doctors " in preparing a 

 poison-drink by which they are popularly supposed to ascertain 

 the guilt or innocence of accused persons. A small quantity 

 causes convulsions, paralysis, and finally death, but an overdose 

 acts as an emetic. The accused's only chance of innocence is by 

 "tipping" the witch-doctor to obtain an overdose. The Calabar 

 Bean is also used in ophthalmic surgery, the effect being the 

 reverse of that of belladonna. 



■ (To be continued.) 



NATURAL HISTORY NOTES FROM THE MALLEE. 



By J. C. GouDiE. 



During a recent trip into the Mallee, north-west from Birchip, 

 and near the route of the Birchip-Mildura railway, now in course 

 of construction, I ha<i opportunities of making a few observations 

 on the natural history of that locality. The country thereabout 

 is rather of a superior description, being of a sandy nature, and 

 in spite of the prolonged drought many of the crops were looking 

 well. Sand ridges, clothed with splendid belts of Murray Pine, 

 are a conspicuous feature. On the way up numbers of Emus 

 were seen sedately walking the plains, or at intervals treating us 

 to a display of their sprinting powers. On all sides, we were told, 

 the Kangaroos and Emus were leaving the mallee and making for 

 the open country on account of the scarcity of water. Were it 

 not for the Game Act there would probably be a great slaughter, 

 as in their weakened condition they fall an easy prey to dog and 

 gun. The first thing one noticed in walking over the sand-hills 

 was the vast numbers of ants' holes to be seen, the ground often 

 for three or four acres in extent being completely riddled. Very 

 little of the excavated earth was visible, the tops of the holes 

 being flush with the surface, quite round, and appearing as if 

 made with a gardener's " dibble." They vary from an inch to 

 about 3 inches in diameter, slightly wider at the top, and about 

 6 or 8 inches in depth, branching at the bottom into lateral 



