266 an account of the turban gourd. Dec. 19. 
pale greenifh tint, slightly waved, and in some meas 
sure open, as in the drawing, so as naturally to re- 
present a kind of lace binding the base of the high- 
er crown of the tiara. 
My correspondent justly observes, that ‘this kind 
of gourd is particularly worthy of the attention 
and cultivation of the curious ; not only from their 
beauty, but the extraordinary circumstance of their 
exact similitude to the form of the Mahometan tur- 
ban,—a resemblance which is so striking, as to 
convince, at first sight, that the head drefs of that 
religion must have been taken from this production 
of their fields. When they are ripe, they are, like 
the drawings, of a fine rich gold yellow, or orange, 
striped beautifully with green on the crown, as re- 
gularly as if painted; and I think it is scarcely ha- 
zarding too much to suppose, that, as their first co- 
lour is green,.Mahomet may have taken both the 
form and colour of his own and descendants turbans 
from this natural and first of models, which pofsi- 
bly served the original wild inhabitants of these 
countries as a defence against the sun, till they 
were able to invent some sort of stuff to replace the 
vegetable bonnet, that still gives form to their head 
drefs. I made the experiment last year, to satisfy 
curiosity, as to the kind of bonnet one of these 
gourds would make; and having scooped out and 
dried, A, with only such an opening at bottom as 
would admit the head, found it a very light and 
handsome turban, which deceived every body at a 
small distance. However, Mr Editor, to enable you 
ye a ee 
