82 



CASE and the valves powerfully hygroscopic. The seeds are 

 43. edible and contain 45 per cent, of oil or fat suitable for 

 candle and soap-making, and 30 per cent, of albuminoids, 

 suitable, after the expression of the oil, for cattle food. 



On the lower shelves are pods, &c., of various species 

 of ParMa, of which note Cafe de Soudan, the seeds of 

 Parkia africana, R. Br., which, when roasted are used as 

 a substitute for coffee and chocolate ; the tree was long 

 supposed to be identical with Cola {see p. 29). 



No. 231. Pods of Cacoon, Mackay Bean, Sea 

 Bean {Entada scandens, Bth.). A large woody climber, 

 widely distributed in the tropics. Some of the legumes 

 measure 4 feet in length by 4 or 5 inches in breadth. 

 The seeds are about 2 inches across, dark brown, hard and 

 shining, and are often made into spoons or small boxes, 

 and are used for crimping linen. They are also eaten by 

 natives in North Queensland after baking, pounding and 

 steeping in water in a dilly bag for 12 hours. This 

 process is probably necessary on account of the presence 

 of saponin which is to some extent poisonous. These 

 seeds are frequently washed up on shores distant from 

 the place of growth ; specimens are exhibited that have 

 been so washed up on the coasts of Western Europe and 

 Africa, from the tropics to the North Cape. Observe the 

 curiously twisted stem of this plant, also fibre and rope 

 prepared from it. Under the name of SiNTOH or GOGO 

 the stem is beaten out, dried and used in place of soap in 

 Perak. 



No. 232. NiOPE Snuff, made from the pods of 

 PijJtadenia peregrbia, Bth., by the Indian tribes of the 

 Rio Negro, Brazil, with the instruments used in its pre- 

 paration. The pods are also shown. 



On an upper shelf of the next compartment observe 

 sample of Angico gum from Pipiadenia macrocarpa^ 

 Bth., introduced into London from Brazil in 1888 under 

 the name of Brazilian Gum Arabic. Specimens of 

 the wood and bark are shown. Note also bark of 

 Barbatimao {Stryphnodendron Barhatimam^ Mart.), 

 from Brazil. It has astringent properties and is used for 

 tanning. 



