562 Mr. Schomburgk's Accoimt of the Ciirata, S^c. 



whole life, and boasts of the lightness and precision of his vSarbacan, as we 

 boast of the same qualities in our fire-arms." 



The Indian selects only the young reeds for his weapon, as the larger would 

 not only prove too unwieldy when encased, but would likewise require too 

 much effort in propelling the arrow through the tube. After they have been 

 cut to the necessary length, they are turned slowly over a moderate coal fire, 

 which process prevents their warping, and are then exposed to the sun, where 

 they are allowed to remain until they acquire a shining yellow colour, which 

 the Indian considers as a proof that they contain no more moisture. They are 

 afterwards encased ; for which purpose they use the trunk of a slender palm 

 of the tribe of Arecïnœ (a Kiuilhia or Geonoma), which is steeped for a few 

 days in water in order more easily to extract the lax tissue of which the inside 

 consists, while the outer part is so hard that it takes a beautiful polish. This 

 case is called by the Macusi Indians Yurua-Cura- pong. 



Note hi/ John Joseph Bennett, Esq., Sec. L.S. 



Mr. Scliomburgk having placed in my hands specimens of the Grass which 

 forms the subject of his communication, with a request that (if I should find 

 it to be unpublished) I would describe it, I at first suspected it to be iden- 

 tical with the Arandhmria vertkillata of Nees von Esenbeck and Kunth ; 

 but a subsequent examination has satisfied me that it is a distinct species of 

 that genus. I have had no opportunity of comparing it with specimens of 

 ./. verficillata, but it differs from the description of that species given by the 

 two eminent botanists above-named, in the following particulars. Its leaves 

 are linear, instead of lanceolate, and smooth on both surfaces, instead of sca- 

 brous ; the mouth of their sheaths is furnished on either side of the articula- 

 tion of the leaf with a fringe of long rigid setae, wliich are not mentioned as 

 occurring in A.i^erticUlata ; its locustse are sessile, instead of being pedicelled; 

 and the hypogynous scales are lanceolate and acute, instead of obovate and 

 obtuse. The following character will therefore serve to distinguish the spe- 

 cies : — 



Arundinaria Schomburgkii. 



A. foUis Uneanbus acumiuatis lœvlbiis : vaginantm ore utrinque longé setoso, 

 spied simplici puuc'tflord, locustis sessilibus, squamulis hypogynis lanceolutis 

 ucutls. 



