150 Timehri. 
small size of these seeds is responsible fo: the idea that used to prevail amongst 
the Indians that the tree never produced seed at any time. That there is a 
considerable variety in shape and size of the leaf can be seen by a glance, and 
this variability appears to be governed apart from distinction of species, by the 
age of the tree, the position of the leaves and other conditions. 
A prominent characteristic of one species of Sapium is a distinct hooked gland 
at the apex of the leaf, but this distinction is said not to be confined to the species 
indigenous to this Colony alone, as it is found in many species not indigenous 
to British Guiana. This tree is known to us generally as Sapium aucuparium, but 
according to Mon. Huber is referred to as Sapium Helmsleyanum. Of this variety 
Mr. A. W. Bartlett writes : “The leaves show very considerable variety as to 
ize and shape both in those occurring in different parts 0°’ thesame tree, at 
different ages of the plant, and on different individuals.” This may be said with 
accuracy in relation to otherspecies of Sapium. He continues : “* Thus the leaves 
on the lowermost branches of some of the trees are destitute of the hooked apex 
and end in a long blunt point as in S. Jenmani. Also the leaves of young plants 
and of saplings even measuring 15 to 20 feet are invariably wanting in 
the characteristic feature.” It is obviously, therefore, a risky proceeding to at- 
tempt to identify any Sapium by examining a few leaves only. 
It is generally taken as an accepted fact that most of the Sapiums of the coast 
region yield no rubber; but only an inferior quality of resinous latex, yet on the 
islands at the mouth of the Essequebo river, such as Liberty Island , Fort Island, 
etc. Sapiums are to be found freely growing “ wild,” and they do yield rubber, 
which is said to be equal to that obtained from the Sapiums o’ the interior. 
Furthermore the name Sapium Jenmani appears to have been applied somewhat 
hastily to all rubber-yielding Sapiums. The Sapiums growing in these Essequibo 
islands may not be S. Jenmani at all, but probably will have to, in their turn, 
undergo the “martyrdom of christening.” As to the other indigenous species, 
Sapium biglandulosum is a coast lover, and yields no rubber, while S. pauciner- 
vum is found to occur in the Pomeroon and in the North Western District as well 
as other portions of the colony, and also, in all probability, furnishes nothing but 
an inferior resinous, sticky substance, of no value whatever. 
S. Helmsleyanum, to give the so-called S. aucupariwm the name to which M. 
Huber has referred it, is distributed widely throughout the Colony, and proves 
very attractive to boys, for it is chiefly to this tree, though other species yielding 
resinous products are also utilised, that they have resource when they wish to 
snare birds. Usually the tree is hacked, and as the latex gushes out it is caught 
on a stick to which has been rolled portions of bread crumbs , moistened with a 
liberal supply of saliva. The whole is then smeared over the stick and the 
snare set ‘at right angles ’ to a long bamboo pole which is stuck in the middle of 
a pasture or other likely spot. So effective is this snare that frequently the active 
and sturdy vicious little parroquet, known locally as the Keri-Keri, is firmly 
entrapped by this adhesive mixture, when it has alighted on one of the numer- 
ous perches jutting from a bamboo stem. 
As to the identity of the tree, a foot-note by Mr. Bartlett, in a paper of his on 
our local rubber trees, throws considerable light. 
