THE PALMS OF ASIA, 87 



as polished marble ; they had just burst from 

 their sheaths ; and a more delicate, lovely 

 picture couM scarcely be imagined. A cocoa 

 nut tree in a native Cingalese tope will some- 

 times yield fifty nuts in twelve months ; but the 

 average of them seldom give more than twenty- 

 five in a year. It is, therefore, very evident 

 that European skill may be employed bene- 

 ficially on this cultivation, as well as on any 

 other. 



" I was at first rather startled at perceiving a 

 tall, half-naked Cingalese away in the distance, 

 with a gun at least half as long again as him- 

 self, long black hair over his shoulders, and 

 bunches of something hanging at his girdle. 

 He was watching some game amongst the trees ; 

 at last he fired, ran, and picked up something 

 and stuck it in his girdle. What could it be ? 

 Parrot, pigeon, or jungle fowl ? It was only a 

 poor little squirrel ; and there were at least two 

 scores of these pretty creatures hanging at the 

 waist of llie mighty hunter ! Fortunately I 

 could speak the native language, and was not 

 long in learning the cause of this slaughter. 

 It appeared that in addition to their pretty 

 bushy tail, glossy coats, and playful gambols, 

 the squirrels have very sharp and active teeth, 

 aad au uncommon relish for the sweet, tender 



