187 



Hepialus sylvinus, L. " The Orange Swift" 



Moderately common throughout the British Isles ; also N. and 

 C. Europe and Asia Minor, The specimen taken by Mrs. Dalli- 

 more. On roots of Burner, Taraxacum , &c. 



Eriocraniidae. 



These are curious, brilliantly coloured little moths which delight 

 to fly on warm afternoons in early spring. As yet only one species 

 has been taken in the Gardens, but others are certain to occur. 



Eriocrania unimaculella, Zett. 



Taken by Mr. G. Nicholson off birch trees. The footless larva 

 mines in leaves of birch. 



XXXII.-AFRICAN TREE RUBBER. 



(Funtumia elastica, Stapf.) 



The Funtum or Ire, one of the most important sources of West 

 African rubber, was definitely determined and fully described in 

 the Kew Bulletin for 1905, pp. 56-58, by Dr. 0. Stapf. The 

 economic information regarding the tree and its products has been 

 given in the Bulletin for 1895, pp. 211-247 ; for 1896, pp. 76, 77 ; 

 for 1897, pp. 411, 415 ; for 1899, pp. 29-35. More recently it has 

 been ascertained that the species is not confined to West African 

 forests, but that it occurs in the forests of Uganda, where it 

 is now also being planted. As recently explained (K.B. for 1907, 

 No. 3, pp. 103-105) this rubber has been introduced from West 

 Africa and distributed from Kew to the East and the West Indies. 

 The information regarding this species contained in the notes 

 reproduced below is therefore of general interest. 



Tapping Funtumia Rubber. 



In a letter addressed to the editor of the Agricultural News, 

 Barbados, which appeared in that journal, vol. vi., No. 127, p. 77, 

 Mr. H. Hesketh Bell, O.M.G., supplies an interesting account of 

 the system of tapping indigenous Funtumia elastica trees in 

 Uganda, and of the subsequent treatment of the latex and 

 preparation of the product for the market : 



Government House, 



Entebbe, Uganda, 



January 3, 1907. 



"I have just been reading in the Bulletin of the Imperial 

 Department of Agriculture a very interesting account by 

 Mr. Joseph Jones of the experimental tapping of various kinds 

 of rubber trees in the Dominica Botanic Station, and I note that 

 he is rather troubled by the dark colour of the produce, more 

 especially that yielded by the Funtumia trees. In view of the 

 great interest that is now being taken in the cultivation of rubber 

 in the West Indies, it may be useful to some of your readers to 

 know how the latex of rubber is treated in Uganda. 



