102 WESTERN H I N D O O S T A N, 



TuREoScALA- AxMONG the varietv of beautiful fliells found on the coaft, is 



RIS. 



the noted T^urbo Scalaris^ or IVentle-trap, a fhell feldom an inch 

 and a quarter long, of a pearly color, and with about feven 

 fpires, each having feveral elegant ridges, croffing them from 

 the firfl: fpire to the laft ; a fine reprefentation of the winding 

 flaircafe. A painter I knew, filled with the Concha-mania^ 

 once gave fifty-fix guineas for three of them, one alone he 

 valued at twenty-five. 



Some few other things, refpe6fing the natural hifiory of 

 Bombav and its neighborhood, may be here taken notice of. 



Barefers, a The difeafes of India begin to fliew themfelves in this place, 

 but I fliall only attend to the Barbiers, which is more prevalent 

 on this fide of the peninfula of India than the other. It is a 

 .palfy, w'hich takes its name from Bcriberii, or the flieep, as the 

 aiflidfed totter in their gait like that animal when feized with a 

 giddinefs. Its fymptoms are both a numbnefs, a privation of the 

 ufe of the limbs, a tremor, and an attendant titillation ufually 

 not fatal, but extremely difficult of cure. It comes on Howdy, 

 and ufually in the rainy feafon ; but if a perfon drinks haftily, 

 when heated, a large draught of Toddy, or the liquor of the coco 

 nut, the attack of the difeafe is very fudden. Bontius, (EngliJIo 

 edition, p. i), treats largely of the cure. He recommends 

 llrongly baths or fomentations of the Nocbile of the Malabars, 

 or Lagondi of the Malays, or the Jafminum Indicum. 



Fishes falling The phoenomenon of fmall fifli appearing in the rainy fea- 

 fon, in places before dry, is as true as it is furprifing. The 

 natives begin to fifh for them the tenth day after the firfi: rains, 



and 



