110 



OASE are passionately fond. " They crowd down to the coast 



57. " region and almost live upon, and then carry away with 



" them, sacks of the seeds which are edible." These are 



also broiisfht down by the coasters for market to Cape 



Town. 



On the lower shelves of this compartment are fruits 

 and models of fruits of Momordica Charcmtia. L., a 

 climbing plant cultivated throughout India, Malaya. &c., 

 for medicinal uses and as food. Also of 31. cochinchinensis, 

 Spreng., a species widely distributed in Tropical Asia. 

 The fruit is occasionally used as food in India. 



No. 286. Models of fruits of varieties of MELONS 

 (Cticumis Melo, L.), presented by Messrs. Sutton, of 

 Reading. 



Models of Cucumbers (Cticumis sativiis, L.), are also 

 shown. 



Note on a lower shelf of this compartment models of 



Water Melons, the fruits ot" Citrullus vulgaris, Schrai., 



a plant commonly cultivated in the east and Mediterranean 



region of Africa and Europe, as well as in the Western 



.hemisphere, for the sake of its fleshy edible fruit. 



No. 287. COLOCYNTHS, peeled and unpeeled. The 

 fruits of Citrullus Colocynihis, Schrad., a perennial herb 

 having a v/ide range from North-west India to Spain, 

 Northern, Western, and Southern Africa, and Japan. 

 The Colocynth is valued for the pulp in which the seeds 

 are embedded. As seen in commerce the fruit is usually 

 peeled. The pulp has no smell but an intensely bitter 

 taste, and is used as a powerful cathartic, usually in 

 combination with other ingredients. 

 CASE Observe on the upper shelf of the first compartment 

 .58. roots and fruits of the Squirtlng Cucumber {EcbalUum 

 Elaterium, A. Rich.), a prostrate perennial herb, common 

 in waste places in the south of Europe. The active 

 principle, Elaterium, is prepared from the juice which 

 flows from the fruit when nearly ripe ; ii is used as a 

 very powerful cathartic. 



Note fruits of Coccinia indica, W. & A., a climbing 

 plant common throughout India, often cultivated. The 

 fruits are eaten fresh when ripe, and cooked in curries 

 when green. 



