70 Miscellaneous. 



ratis et cum membrana natatoria vel cum plicis ejus pcndulinis usque 

 ad apicem fere connatis ; alis natatoriis duabus transversalibus, ver- 

 tebrae cartilaglneae corporis insertis. Suctoriis singulorum bracbi- 

 or'um 30, cirris 32," Length of body 3|" ; of the arms 41". — 

 Wiegmanns ArchiVyVdcrtY. 1839. Berlin, 1840. 



DERIVATION' OF THE TEPF AND THE TOCUSSO, TWO SPECIES OF 

 ABYSSINIAN GRASSES. 



The cultivation of the seed of the TefF, brought to Europe by 

 Riippel, has shown that this grass is the Poa abyssinica, .Tacq.* and 

 that the drawing of Bruce, although somewhat rude, is also to be 

 referred to the same plant. The Tocusso, which Bruce likewise 

 mentions, is, according to the specimens cultivated from Riippel's 

 seed, an Eleusine, very similar to El. indica, but yet forming a new 

 species, Eleusine Tocusso. This grass is principally cultivated on 

 hills, for the brewing of beer. — Linneea, Part III. 1839. 



THE SNAKE NUT. 



This extraordinary vegetable curiosity is a nut about the size of 

 an ordinary walnut, nearly round, and of a fine brown hazel colour, 

 and very light. When broken, the kernel is found to bear so stri- 

 king a resemblance to a snake that it is always called the snake nut. 

 It grows in the marshes of British Guiana. Had we only examined 

 one specimen we should have taken it for a lusus naturae, — a merely 

 accidental resemblance to the snake, assumed by the kernel in 

 shrinking ; but the gentleman who favoured us with a sight of it 

 has several of the nuts, and they are all alike, which circumstance, 

 together with the name which has been given to it in the country 

 where it is produced, proves that it is not a mere freak of nature, 

 but a regular natural production. We do not recollect ever having 

 heard or read of the species of nut which we have here briefly de- 

 scribed, and if any of our readers can, and will, throw some light on 

 the subject, we shall be much obliged for the information. The 

 specimens of the snake nut which we have seen were brought home 

 by the Palmyra which arrived lately in this port from Demerara.— 

 Liverpool Mercury, Jan. 17. 



The unknown Correspondent from whom we have received the above is 

 informed that a Description and Drawing of the Snake Nut was commu- 

 nicated by Mr. Schomburgk to the Linnsean Society, in June, 1837. 



* The identity of the plant produced from the seeds brought home by 

 Bruce under the name of Tef, with the Poa Abyssinica of .Jacquin, was 

 pointed out by Solander in 1789, in the first edition of *' Hortus Kew- 

 ensis," vol. 1, p. 100. But Bruce's figure, making every allowance for 

 its rudeness, cannot possibly be referred to the same grass. 



