79 



Africa believed to be derived from one or more species of CASE 

 Cyanothyrsus so far undetermined. 41, 



No. 222. War Clubs from the Fiji Islands made 

 of the dense hard wood of Afzelia hijuga, A. Gray. A 

 native pillow, cannibal fork and dish, kava bowl, spear 

 (over the c^-se), and other articles made of the wood from 

 the Pacific Islands. 



No. 223. Tamarinds. The pulp of the pods of 

 Tarnarindus indica, L., imported from India and the 

 West Indian Islands. That from India is usually in the 

 form of a clammy dark mass, consisting of the pulp and 

 seeds, whilst that from the West Indies is of a lighter 

 colour, and generally preserved in sugar syrup. The 

 name Tamarind appears to be derived from the Arabic 

 Tamar-Hindi (Indian Date). The tree grows to a height 

 of 60 to 80 feet, with a wide spreading head of dense 

 foliage. It is now found in all tropical countries, but 

 Africa is, in all probability, its country of origin. Culti- 

 vated chiefly for its fruits, in warm countries it is often 

 grown as a shade tree, or for the fragrance of its flowers. 

 Tamarinds have laxative properties and an agreeable acid 

 taste, and in hot countries are used to make cooling 

 drinks. Dried fruits, gum and wood are shown. The 

 latter is very heavy and sinks in water ; a table made of 

 it is exhibited in Museum No. III. 



No. 224. Wood of West Indian Locust Tree, 

 SiMiRi of British Guiana (Hymenaea Gou7^haril, L.), 

 tough and close-grained, valuable for treenails and timber 

 of steam-engines. Some of the Brazilian Locust trees, 

 according to Yon Martins, attain a size so great that 15 

 Indians with outstretched arms could just embrace one of 

 them. A resin resembling Anime exudes from the trunk 

 and is found in lumps at the bases of old trees. It is used 

 for varnish making. Samples of the resin as well as of 

 the woody pods are shown. 



No. 225. Metatb or Trough made of the wood of 

 Hymenaea Courharil, L. Used by the Caribs for rubbing 

 down flour for making cakes. It was found in a Carib 

 cave in Dominica, and is of great antiquity. On the top 

 of Case No. 36 is a native canoe made of the bark of 

 the tree. 



