, 948 



resembling an old man's beard, whence its common name in Jamaica, 

 The stems are branched, and the branches, which are two or three 

 inches long, are set with roundish, white, frosted leaves. The flowers 

 come out at the end of the branches. This slender parasitical plant 

 - is found among the trees in many parts of Jamaica, but does not grow 

 so commonly, nor so luxuriantly, there as it does in the more northern 

 provinces of the main continent, where it is said to overrun whole forests. 

 It is frequently imported from Jamaica to North America, for the use 

 of the saddlers and coach-makers, who commonly stuff their panels, 

 cushions, &c. with it. In Louisiana and the neighbouring settlements, 

 this plant being very carefully gathered and stripped of the bark, is 

 made into mattresses, cushions, panels, &c. It is manufactured by tying 

 the stalks in bunches, and sinking them in water, or burying them 

 under ground in a moist place, until the bark rots : they are then 

 taken up, boiled in water, and washed, until the fibres are quite 

 cleared of the pulp. These are not only used instead of horse-hair, 

 but are so very like it, that a man cannot distinguish them without a 

 strict examination, and that even with a glass, unless he observes the 

 branchings of it. 



" The Bonana bird's nest is always made of the fibres of this plant, 

 and is generally found hanging by a few threads from the tops of the 

 most expanded branches of the most lofty trees, especially those that 

 spread over ponds or rivers." — Loudon's Encyc. of Plants, p. 248.] 



The ' Bonplandia,' the official organ of the Imperial L. C. Academy 

 Naturae Curiosorum, announces that the six naturalists mentioned 

 below have received the honour of Fellowship in the Academy, with 

 the accompanying Academical names : — 



1. H. C. Beck, Pastor in Schweinfurt = Metzger 



2. Anatol Nicolajewitsch, Prince of Demidoff, who, 



it will be recollected, sent the principal part of 



the Russian articles to the Exhibition of 1851 = Franklin 



3. Edward Newman, of London = Latreille 



4. F. L. Fiilleborn, President of the Court of Appeal 



in Marienwerder = Roschlaub 



5. F. Goldenberg, Professor of Natural History and 



Mathematics in Saarbriicken = Steinhauer 



6. PhiUp Wirtgen, Ph. D., Director of the College 



in Coblentz = Ehrhart 



