Prof. G. Gulliver on Raphides. 119 
For myself, I am perfectly satisfied with the evidence, both 
verbal and written, that has been given to me. It will be seen 
that it is substantially the same as that given by Daldorff and 
John, who, however, did not notice (or, if they did, did not re- 
cord) that the fish inclined its body to one side when advancing 
by means of its opercula. To me, the fact that the negative evi- 
dence of Buchanan Hamilton should have been considered of 
more value than the positive evidence of two eye-witnesses (one 
a highly respectable missionary, the other an officer in the 
Danish service) is a thing more extraordinary by far than that 
the Anabas scandens should ascend palm-trees, for which one 
might almost say it is specially fitted by the unusual form of its 
opercular pieces. 
That Hamilton Buchanan never saw this fish climb a Palmyra- 
tree is by no means surprising; for it is said only to do so 
during the monsoon, when the trees are surrounded by water, 
and the rain is descending their trunks—a time when, save by the 
merest accident, no European, unless for some special reason, is 
likely to be in such a situation. Buchanan Hamilton was from 
Bengal, and in all probability knew nothing of the Tamil lan- 
guage; if he had, it might have occurred to him that the com- 
mon Tamil name of this fish must have been given for some 
good reason. 
Madras, Nov. 13, 1863. 
XV.— Observations on Raphides. By GrorcEe Guuuiver, F.R.S. 
[Continued from p. 43. ] 
Rubiacee.—We have seen how, in our native Flora, the plants 
of this order may be characterized as raphis-bearers. Though 
Prof. Babington retains the name of Rubiacez in his ‘ Manual of 
British Botany,’ these weeds have been separated by very high 
authority (see Lindley’s ‘ Vegetable Kingdom’) from the useful 
and larger group of Cinchonacez ; so that Prof. Lindley’s order 
Galiaceze includes all the British species of Rubiacez, and he 
abolishes this last name altogether. Of Cinchonacez I am now 
enabled, through the courtesy of Dr. Hooker, to give the following 
results of a few examinations :—Jzora (fresh leaves of four spe- 
cies), no raphides ; but abounding in beautiful spheraphides, 
each about +;'5oth of an inch in diameter. Gardenia (fresh 
leaves of two species), no raphides; but loaded and somewhat 
gritty with spheraphides, larger than those of Jvora, and well 
seen in sections of the petioles. Manettia bicolor and Pentas 
carnea (fresh leaves and interpetiolary stipules) abounding in 
