ARROWROOT-YIELDING PLANTS. 147 



when the rhizome yields one-fourth of pure delicate amylaceous 

 matter, -resembling the finest arrowroot, very white, delicate and 

 nutritive. 



Tacca piimatifida, Roxb. Nat. Ord. Taccacse, known to the 

 natives of the Deccan by the name of khunda.— It grows all over 

 India and also in the Malayan Archipelago, the Molluccas and South 

 Sea Islands, and is cultivated in the Mauritius. I found it very 

 common at Damaun and the neighbouring villages of Guzerat. Its 

 root is tuberous, as large as a large orange, often larger, round 

 and smooth, intensely bitter when raw, it yields a great quantity of 

 beautifully white starch, of which it is said the best flour for con- 

 fectionery, puddings, &c, is made/' Drury says: — "The fecula 

 much resembles arrowroot and is very nutritive." "It possesses a 

 considerable degree of acrimony/* says Ainslie, " and requires 

 frequent washing in cold water previous to being dressed. In Tra- 

 vancore, where the root grows to a large size and is called Channay 

 Kelimgoo it is much eaten by the natives, who mix some agreeable 

 acids with it to subdue its natural pungency." Lithe notes appended 

 to Tacca artocarpifolia T. 6124, Curtis' Bot. Mag. Sir J. D. Hooker 

 states: — 'The tubers of Tacca pinnatifida afford the South sea 

 Arrowroot, said to be the best of all in cases of dysentery, and its 

 starch is a favourite article of diet in the shape of puddings and 

 cake. In times of scarcity, the inhabitants of these islands live on 

 the fleshy tubers of taccaJ' 



ZOOLOGICAL NOTES. 



Hybrid Wolf presented to the Society. — Mr. Frank Rose, the doner 

 of this animal, writes concerning it : — 



Apropos of Mr. Sterndale's "JXote. o>i Reversion to Primitive types," 

 giving a case of cross-breeding between jackals and dogs, I have much pleasure in 

 presenting the Society with a Hybrid wolf-whelp — a cross between a village dog 

 and a wolf, age about 3 months, caught in the 69th mileage, Chickli-Dewalgaou, 

 Rajah Road, (Buldana Districts, Berar). The mother with five other wolves 

 (Canis pallipes) and a hybrid are in the vicinity of Javul-Kheira. 



The whelp was captured on 12th January, under the following circumstances : 

 While examining a quarry about a mile from the road, a dog was observed 

 going leisurely towards a flock of sheep; the latter grazing and looking 

 unconcernedly at their apparent protector ! But, alas ! after a few minutes, au 



