ISLAND OF CEYLON. 215 



While I am in this element, I fliall remark that the Sepia Oc- Monstrous 

 topodia<, Br, Zool. iv. N" 44, grows in the Indian feas to a moft ^^^^^' 

 amazing llze. A friend of mine, long refident among the Indian 

 iiles, and a diligent obferver of nature, informed me that the 

 natives affirm, that fom^e have been feen two fathoms broad 

 over their centre, and that each arm was nine fathoms long. 

 When the Indians navigate their little boats, they go in dread 

 of them ; and \q'^. thefe animals fhonld fling their arms over 

 and link them, they never fail without an ax to cut them off. 



These may parallel the enormous Po/rpz/J", or ^i?,/^/^, defcribed 

 by Pliny, lib. ix. c. 30, which made its nightly invaiions on the 

 magazines of falt-filh at Carteia, and long put both men and 

 dogs at defiance. 



Ceylon is peculiarly happy in its Flora ; the trees and vege- Vegetables. 

 tables of India feem crowded witiiin its limits. There may be 

 local vegetables in this illand, and others again on the conti- 

 nent ; but I fear my deficiency in botanical knowledge will de- 

 prive me of the power of pointing them out. Ceylon has been 

 likewife peculiarly happy in its fiorifts, wdio have enumerated 

 and defcribed its vegetable treafures. From their labors I fliall 

 mention thofe of molt ftriking ufe, beauty, or Iingularity, with 

 references to the authorities and figures. My chief guide v.'ill 

 be the Flora Zeylanica, compiled by hinnaus from the manu- 

 fcripts of Paul Herman, who from the year 167010 1677 had 

 made feveral botanizing journeys through the ifland, with 

 great hazard to himfelf, and at vaft expence to the Hates of 

 Holland. Thefe had been lofl above fifty years, and then dif- 

 covered and communicated, in I745> by Augujlus Gunthery apo- 

 thecary 



