BOTANICAL NEWS. 283 
of the bamboo. 4. The Idim ibum is perhaps the most important Palm at 
Calabar. Idim signifies water, and ibum great. It occurs on the banks of the 
main branch of the Calabar river, but confined to the district of Ikoriofiong. 
The quantity of wine which this plant produces is astonishing. An ordinary 
tree will yield a puncheon of a most delicious beverage, which is deservedly a 
great favourite with the people. In colour it resembles cream, and is sold in 
large quantities at the mimbo public-houses. When the tree is once tapped, it 
invariably bleeds itself to death. This is not the case with the common mimbo ; 
it can be tapped from time to time till the fluid is exhausted, and then it dies. 
Such is also the case with the Idim ibum , the Iya or bamboo, the Afea oku ukot, 
and the Oil Palm. 5. The last of this class of Palms, belonging to Raphia, 
met with at Calabar, is the lya asiaJcia nditto> which signifies ' children/ The 
base of the fruit is surrounded by numerous scales similar to those produced at 
the base of bulbiferous plants — these are called by the natives children. This 
Palm is not common. 6. Another nearly allied species is plentiful upon the 
south coast, which sends up numerous shoots, similar to the Plantain, cover- 
ing a great space of ground. 7. On the south coast a species of Date is abun- 
dant on the sea-shore, but not inland. The fruit is small, and of an oval shape. 
In taste the pulp is similar to that of the Date of commerce. Its foliage also 
resembles that of the common Date, and might easily be mistaken for it were 
it not for the fruit. 8. A Fan Palm is plentiful at Citia Camma, but I have not 
seen the plant, never having been so far south. Captain Eirkwood has two 
plants raised from seed collected at Citia Camma, where he states it is abun- 
dant, IV. Notice of Two Species of Mosses New to Science. By Dr. Bu- 
chanan White. Dr. White gave descriptions of two species of Bypnum, which 
he had collected in 1865, on Ben Lawers, in Perthshire, and which had been 
ascertain. \i to be as yet undescribed in any work. The one he proposed to call 
Sypnum Breadalbanense, and the other H. montanum. Drawings of the 
1 nfca were exhibited. V. On a Fungoid Disease affecting the Human Hair. 
% John Bishop, Esq. As the subject of fungoid growths within or upon the 
human hair is of considerable interest to botany, as well as to medicine, I 
desire to contribute the following imperfect notice of a case which has recently 
come under my own observation :— The patient is a young man, at about 
twenty-six. His general health is very good. In the spring of 1865 he noticed 
that considerable portions of his beard appeared as if the hairs had been 
"waged." This was especially noticeable on the right side, along the line from 
the angle of the lower jaw to an inch within or so of the symphysis. By the 
middle of summer the beard had resumed its normal appearance. About 
March, 1866, the same symptoms recurred. The right side was again the 
w °rst. The hairs were harsh, stubbly, and crooked. They broke off short, 
a *d the broken ends were curiously twisted, curled, and shrivelled, like hairs 
*hich have been partially burnt. The skin was hyper-sensitive along the line 
of the jaw. If a few hairs were pulled (not plucked up), the sensation was very 
peculiar-half pleasurable and half painful. There was also slight heat and 
itching, which tempted the patient to rub or scratch the part. He fancied 
that he could feel pimples on the skin, but none could be observed. The skin 
