ISLAND OF CEYLON. 249 



the leaf, which is quite circular, and terminating in the moft 

 beautiful rays, refembling a glory, like that of the fun, fur- 

 rounding the whole. They are about three feet and a half in 

 diameter, and are the fineft umhrelL.s in nature, and in univer- 

 fal ufe in Ceylon^ to protev5l againlt the rays of the fun, of the 

 fury of the rains. Knox, at page 14, fhews XhQ Ceylon efe man 

 under the protecftion of one of the leaves. They alfo ferve for 

 paper for the lappmg of parcels. The wood is hard^ and 

 veined with yellow, and ferves to make chefts, like the preced- 

 ing. The fruit is in the form of a cannon ball, containing 

 within two other nuts, of the fize of a mufquetT^all, which are 

 eaten by the poor. Thefe are of the richeft fafFron color, and 

 give a moft brilliant appearance to this elegant tree, and hang 

 down in clufters three feet long. 



This palm is the I'al oi Bengal, the Brab oi Bombay, and the 

 Talagbas, and Tala of Ceylon. Arrian, i. p. 522, mentions the 

 bark of the Tala as a food ufed by the Indians, a particular not 

 noted by modern writers. , 



Sylvejiris, Rheed. Malab. iii. tab. 22, et feq. This grows only Elate. 

 to the height of about fourteen feet ; is covered with a greyifli 

 cruft, inftcad of a bark. The fruit, of the fize and form of a 

 fmall plumb, is fometimes made ufe of, by the poorer people, 

 to chew with Betel, inftead of the Areca. The ftalks of the fruit 

 are greedily fought after by the elephants, for the fake of tiie 

 fweet pith they contain. 



Urens, Rmnph. Amboin, i. tab. 14, grows to the height of a Caryota. 

 middling coco palm. The fruit grows in vaft clufters, adhering 

 Vol. L K k to 



