50 Transactions . — Miscellaneous . 



of the Old World, it is reasonable to conclude that through a pro- 

 cess of selection they may have in their own territories driven 

 introduced species out of cultivation. What has particularly 

 to be explained is why more of these plants did not find their 

 way into Polynesia. If we are correct regarding the introduc- 

 tion of agriculture, they may not have been in cultivation when 

 the kumara was transported. The wild progenitor of the 

 kumara has not been discovered ; its original habitat is con- 

 sequently doubtful, but all the evidence forthcoming is 

 decidedly in favour of Central America. By a people accus- 

 tomed to the cultivation of roots, the plant, if discovered, 

 would be readily taken advantage of. Until some means of 

 dispelling the poisonous properties became known, the manioc 

 would not have been brought into cultivation. To a people 

 unacquainted with grain the maize would not soon commend 

 itself, and it must have been after agriculture had reached the 

 high, cool table-lands that the potato {Solanmn tuherosum) came 

 into use. We can thus see that of the four most important 

 New- World esculents the kumara would naturally first attract 

 agricultiu'ists of the primitive Polynesian type. 



Mention has already been made that the monuments of 

 Polynesia resemble monuments found in Peru. In both cases 

 these remains belong to a period long anterior to the European 

 discovery. As the likeness might have been accidental, it can- 

 not be considered positive evidence of intercourse between the 

 two regions unless corroborative proofs can be added. These 

 proofs are found in another branch of art. Between the 

 distant Malay Islands and Peru an interchange of inventions 

 must have at some time taken place. The heavy stonewood 

 gravitana used by the natives of the Upper Maranon* and the 

 ironwood sumpitan of the Bornean Dyaksf are similar in every 

 respect, even to the small poisoned darts projected from the 

 weapon. It is impossible that this curious implement of the 

 chase, involving a knowledge of the elastic force of compressed 

 air and the preparation of a deadly vegetable poison, could 

 have been independently invented by rude savages dwelling 

 more than one-third of the earth's circumference apart. The 

 absence of the sumpitan or gravitana in the intervening 

 countries may be considered an objection to their common 

 origin. But the weapons, being only adapted for the sheltered 

 recesses of the forest, would soon fall into disuse in open 

 countries, where the light darts exposed to the wind would be 

 of little account ; in these open situations, and for the slaying 

 of large game, the bow and poisoned arrow takes the place of 

 the sumpitan. In the valleys of the Amazon and in Borneo 



* " A Naturalist on the Amazon," W. Bates, 

 t " The Head-hunters of Borneo." Carl Back. 



