48 



it used for the first time. We travelled over the savannahs girt by the Pacaraima 

 mountains ; a deer was discovered browsing in the high grass before us. Lieutenant 

 Haining, of the 65th regiment, my faithful travelling companion, was too far behind 

 with his gun for us to await his coming up, and one of the Macusi Indians took a poi- 

 soned spike from his sarima and fixed it to his arrow. Cautiously he stole upon the 

 unsuspecting deer, and shot the arrow into its neck ; it made a jump in the air, fled 

 with the speed of the wind over the savannahs, but it had scarcely run forty yards when 

 it fell panting to the ground, and expired. * * i jjave seen the tapir, while 

 swimming across the Rupununi, so slightly wounded that the spike had just penetrated 

 through the thick skin ; nevertheless it took eff'ect, and the animal expired. Numer- 

 ous are the birds of larger and smaller size which I have seen thus secured. — Id. 



[The plant from the juices of which the Macusi and Wapisiana Indians prepare 

 their fatal arrow-poison, is the Slrychnos toxifera, Schomb., ' Hook. Ic. PI.' t. 364 and 

 365 : discovered by M. Schomburgk, in 1835. It is a native of South America, and 

 appears only to have been found in the granitic mountains of Canuka or Conocon, in 

 lat. 3» 10' N.— £'cZ.] 



20. New Botanical Work. Miss Roberts, the well-known authoress of many popu- 

 lar works connected with Natural History, is preparing for publication ' The Dial of 

 Flowers. We anticipate much pleasure from perusing it. — Ed. 



Art. XVIII. — Proceedings of Societies. 



ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY. 



June 19. — The secretary read a botanical description of the Lodoicea Sechellanim., by M. Bernard. This 

 production, which has long been known under the appellation of the double sea-cocoa-nut, grows only on two 

 small islands of the Sechelles group, nearly under the equator. Many centuries before the place of its gi'owth 

 was known, portions of this nut had been frequently carried by the oceanic currents to the Maldive islands, 

 &c.; and the most absui-d fables were current respecting its origin and virtues. It was generally supposed to 

 grow at the bottom of the sea ; and the votaries of Vishnu devoutly believed that when that deity was churn- 

 ing the ocean, he broke off several of the branches from the tree, that they might float upon the surface, and 

 be a specific for aU the ills that affiict mankind. The Lodoicea attains a height of 80 or 90 feet, and is sur- 

 mounted by a beautiful crown of winged and palmated leaves. The leaves open like a fan ; they are of large 

 size, often attaining a length of 20 feet with a breadth of 10 or 12. The fruit is generally double, sometimes 

 triple and even quadruple, and with its enclosing drupe attains a length of 13 inches with a circumference of 

 3 feet ; and sometimes weighs from 40 to 50 lbs. A remarkable circumstance connected with this tree, is the 

 length of time necessary to mature its fruit, and the long duration of its bloom. It bears flowers and fruits of 

 all ages at one time. It is to be regretted that this tree is not cultivated, and that a practice has prevailed of 

 cutting it down in order to get at the fruit and tender leaves. The writer of the notice, in fact, expresses his 

 fears that the species will be ere long entirely lost. 



The uses of the double sea-cocoa-palm are numerous. When young the fruit is a refreshing article of 

 food : when ripe it furnishes oil. Its germ, when developed, is a sweet dish. The hard shell is formed into 

 vessels for cai-rying water, &c. ; and the whole nut is used in India as a medicine. The wood is used for 

 building purposes &c. : its leaves for thatching, and when platted they are made into hats, baskets, fans, and 

 a number of tasteful works for which the ladies of the Sechelles are celebrated. — Athenceum, July 8, 1841. 



BOTANICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. 



July 8</i.— wniiam White, Esq. in the Chair. The Rev. C. A. Johns, F.L.S., exhibited specimens of a 

 remarkable variety of Scolopendrium vulgare, discovered on a garden wall at Merrefleld, near Saltrum, De- 

 von. About an inch above the root the rachis forks so as to bear two perfect fronds, the summits of which are 

 repeatedly divided into ligulate obtuse segments ; the whole plant not exceeding four inches in length. 



Mr. J. also exhibited a probably new species of Sphagnum, discovered in May, 1841, at Hoe Lake, Tren- 

 tishoe, Devon, floating in a pool formed by a mountain stream. The leaves, which are a quarter of an inch 

 long, are elliptic-lanceolate, acute, and reticulated very differently from those of any other British species. 

 Mr. Brewer exhibited living specimens oi Iris foctidissima, Epipactis palustris, and other interesting plants 

 from Beigate, Surrey. Dr. John Lhotsky read a paper "On Phytogenesis, or the Origin of Plants." — G.E.D. 



