180 VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES. 



think, in appearance any other we ever saw. We 

 are surprised that it is not regularly imported into 

 this country: all that is here has been brought over 

 by private gentlemen, returning from that colony, for 

 their own use. The wood is very hard and heavy, 

 and of singularly remarkable variety and admixture 

 of colours. It is very difficult to describe this nay 

 impossible to convey to those who have not seen it 

 an idea of the manner in which the shades run into 

 one another. The most prevailing of these is a fine 

 chocolate colour, now deepening almost into absolute 

 black, now fading into a medium between fawn and 

 cream colours. In some places, however, the latter 

 tint is placed in more striking, though never quite hi 

 sudden contrast with the richest shades of the brown. 

 The variations are sometimes displayed in clustering 

 mottles, sometimes in the most graceful streaks. 

 There is not, however, anything in the least gaudy 

 or fantastic in the general result. It certainly arrests 

 the eye but it is from the rich beauty of the inter- 

 mingled colours, not from any undue shewiness. 



This wood takes a very high polish. It is wrought 

 into chairs, and particularly, into tables. Nay, we 

 have seen large folding doors made of it. The late 

 Governor of Ceylon, Sir Robert Brownrigg, brought 

 over very large quantities of this remarkable product 

 of that country ; and, in some additions he has 

 made to his house hi Monmouthshire, he has had the 

 doors of his dining room constructed of calamander. 

 The effect is peculiarly happy. 



We are told that the tree grows to the usual size 

 of a forest-tree, and that the leaves are large, and 

 shaped like the figure of a club on a playing-card. 

 But our informant says, he never saw the tree 

 growing but once, and that he speaks from an im- 

 perfect recollection. 



Partridge, Leopard, and Porcupine woods, are 

 very rarely used. Their names are derived from a 



