DYES AND GUMS. 85 



larly and consistently the glands of the tococa and their colony 

 of small black ants are associated together. Every pouch on 

 every plant that was seen was occupied by ants, and " if the leaf 

 was shaken ever so little, they would rush out and scour all 

 over it in search of the aggressor." 



The Provision-tree (Pachira aquatica) is a common object 

 along river banks and moist places : the fruit is round, about 

 the size of a child's head, and contains numerous large chestnut- 

 like seeds, sometimes used for food by the natives, during times 

 of scarcity. 



Indigo (Indigo/era anil) appears to be indigenous to the 

 colony, and widely distributed. Its cultivation does not, how- 

 ever, offer any hope of becoming at present a remunerative 

 industry, owing to the competition of the numerous aniline and 

 other artificial dyes obtained from coal-tar. 



The Arnatto (Bixa orellana) grows freely near the settle- 

 ments, and its seeds, which yield an orange or yellow dye for 

 silks and for staining cheese, might easily become an article of 

 export. Near Regalia Estate I noticed a handsome-foliaged tree 

 covered with red flower-buds, known locally as " waika," or 

 chewstick. This tree (Symphonia globulifera) is the source of 

 Karamani resin (Hog-gum of Jamaica) which in British Guiana is 

 collected from among the roots of old trees. It is of medicinal 

 value, besides being in demand in the arts. The supple-jacks, 

 or tie-ties, common in the woods, include Paullinia sorbilis, 

 the pounded seeds of which yield the Guarana bread of Brazil. 

 This bread is sold in the form of rolls or sticks, and used both 

 as food and medicine. The horse-radish tree (Moringa 

 pterygosperma) is naturalised in the neighbourhood of Belize ; 

 the young seed pods are sometimes used as a vegetable in 

 curries, or pickled. The root is pungent like horse-radish, and 

 properly prepared may be used as a vesicant. The oil 



