Miscellaneous. 389 



Le Jelin of Adanson. 

 To the Editors of the Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 



0E><"TLEiiE2f, — In the ' Anualcs des Sciences Xaturelles : Zoologie,' 

 4'"'^ serie, vol. xv. pp. 369-374 (1S61), I published a note on the 

 Jelin of xidanson and the genus Pleurodictyon of Goldfuss. 



During my visit to Cette last summer, I had the opportunity, 

 through the kindness of M. Dumel- Adanson, the present possessor 

 of the collection of Adanson, of examining the typical specimen of 

 le Jelin in the ' Histoiro Xaturelle du Senegal.' I ascertained that 

 it was not provided with any internal calcareous tubes, and that its 

 structure was unlike that of any coral or shell or Bryozoon. It 

 showed, on the contrary, in this latter respect a great resemblance 

 to Myriosteon Higginsii, Gray, which I had the opportunity of ex- 

 amining in the British Aluseum through the kindness of Dr. G anther. 

 Notwithstanding its very different shape, I suspect that this enig- 

 matical body may prove to belong to some part of a cartilaginous 

 fish. 



I am, Gentlemen, 



Your most obedient Servant, 



0. A. L. ^IciRCH. 



Copenhagen, April 2, 1871. 



On the Action of the so-called Poisonous Shadow of various Tropical 

 Plants. By Professor Kaesxex. 



The author in the first place I'eportod his experience of the pro- 

 perties of the Manchineel tree (^Hipiiomane manzanilla, Linn.), which, 

 like some other Euphorbiacea), Anacardiaceae, and Artocai'pese, is so 

 much dreaded by the natives of the regions in which this plant is 

 indigenous, that no one will approach it unnecessarily or stay any 

 time in its vicinity ; for it is generally known that the comfort of 

 repose in the cool shade of this thick-foliaged evergreen tree is paid 

 ^ for with painful inflammations, and, in persons of irritable consti- 

 tution, even with death. Nevertheless, at present, naturalists regard 

 this dread as exaggerated, especially since Jacquin stated that 

 during a storm of rain he remained naked for several hours under an 

 Hippomane without the smallest injurious consequences. The author 

 remembered this statement of Jacquin's when he met with fine ex- 

 amples of the Manchineel on the coast of Venezuela, near La Guayra 

 (on the sugar-plantation of Xaiguata), and did not hesitate to carry 

 out his desire of collecting some of the milky juice of this tree in 

 order to investigate its constituents. This occupation, however, 

 which lasted for several hours, was speedily followed by a burning 

 sensation over the whole body, associated with a swelling of the 

 moister parts of the skin, particularly the face, and especially the 

 eyes. On the next morning the eyes were almost completely closed 

 up, and at the same time so irritable that Karsten had to stay for 

 some days in a perfectly dark room. After the lapse of three days 

 the swelling diminished, and the epidermis began to separate. 

 Ann. d: Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 4. VoJ.\u. 28 



