of Western Afghanistan and North- Eastern Persia. 67 



fields, aud in many cases quite overruns the wheat ; when 

 Ergot affects the Eye it is known to be injurious to the 

 health of those partaking of the flour that has much of this 

 " black earth " mixed with it. 



Erianthus Ravennae, Beauv. GRAMiisrE^. 



In the Punjab, and by the Turkomans called munj, by 

 the Persians Mrta, kandur, and by the Baluchis khdsh, hhdshk. 

 A very common grass all over the country traversed, grow- 

 ing in huge clumps in the \dcinity of water, to a height of 

 from six to ten feet. The Turkomans make a rope, rasmdn- 

 dlafi, from it ; for convenience they cultivate it round the 

 margins of their fields, although it is quite indigenous in the 

 surrounding country ; the same takes place in the Salt-range 

 of the Punjab, where I was informed it was also grown to 

 bank up the fields, and thus prevent the heavy falls of rain 

 from carrying off the soil, as well as to yield the farmer a 

 ready supply of material for his ropes. It is curious that 

 the same name for the grass, mimj, should extend from the 

 Punjab and the Indus to Turkistan. The reeds of this as 

 well as of Phragmites are called nai, as are sometimes those 

 of Aruxdo; they are employed in basket work, in manu- 

 facturing screens, and such like. 



Erianthus (?), species, Gramine^. 



I met with a species of what I believe to be an Erianthus, 

 cultivated in gardens in Persia, for the reeds to be employed 

 in making pens ; it was called kalml. 



Erinaceus albulus, StoHczl-a. 



The hedgehog, khdr-posht-ak, khdl-jiosht-ak, khdr-pusht-ak. 



Erodium cicutarium, L'Her. GERANiACEiE. 

 Susan-ak. 



Eruca sativa, Lamh. Crucifer^. 



Mdnddo, the oil roghan-i-til Cultivated largely as a 

 field crop for its seed, from which oil is extracted ; the oil is 

 used in diet, for burning, and in medicine. 



