112 



fermented forms their favourite drink. A tree after several 

 tappings often dies. 



A sight "which I had never seen in the Western Hemisphere 

 Avas an old tank covered with the most lovely bright pink 

 water lilies. These were smaller and deeper in colour than the 

 large pink lotus to which I shall refer later. 



On the other hand the thick hedges of Adamsonia, the 

 prickly Emphorbias, the ubiquitous bananas, mangoes and bam- 

 boos, and especially the plants and shrubs in the gardens of 

 Bombay, all served to remind us that though the west has 

 borrowed largely from the east, the process has probably been 

 to a certain extent reciprocal, and that many genera if not species 

 are common to the two hemispheres 



in this connection may be mentioned three plants which 

 the traveller in India can hardly fail to notice. They have all 

 been introduced and they have all.become readily naturalised. The 

 first is the Arjemone Mexicana which as its name implies oiigin- 

 ally came from Central America. It is now a common weed 

 throughout India. As members are probably aware it occurs 

 in Trinidad, but far more sparingly than in the east. The 

 second of these guests is a somewhat unwelcome one ; it is the 

 La'tana, which some lady admiring introduced from Ceylon. 

 It is now a veritable pest in India, and all efforts to keep it down 

 seem unavailing. Wherever land is not kept under' cultiva- 

 tion thickets of lantana spring up and choke it. The third plant 

 which t specially struck me v/as the Datura. Originally a native 

 of America it seems to make itself at home everywhere, and I can 

 say almost Avithout exaggeration that in no part of the world 

 liave I failed to hud i::. Unfortunately the natives of India 

 know its properties only too Avell and datura poisoning is by no 

 means uncommon. Even here in Trinidad I have seen two cases 

 amongst coolies, v\-ho had probably brought the seed from India. 



An afternoon Avas pleasantly spent in visiting Elephanta, 

 one of the numerous small islands Avhicli dot the harbour of 

 Bombay. A passage of an hour or two in a small steam launch 

 brought us to a ([uaint little jetty of rough stones running out 

 into the mud. As we jumped from stone to stone to gain the 

 land, it Avas amusing to Avatch the myriads of little hermit crabs 

 scuttling av.^ay across the mud. We Avere soon besiegi-d by 

 small boys Avho AVished to sell us pendulous nests of the oriole 

 closely resembling those of the familiar Icterus of Trinidad. They 

 also brought brilliant metalic green and gold beetles apparently 

 1>elonging to the Chrijsonielida Ascending a steep tlight or 

 stone steps Ave.entered the famous caA^es of Elephanta. These 

 Avere carved by the early Hindus out of the solid rock, and 

 contained colus.sal bas relief figures of Siva, Vishnu and Gunpoti. 



