9o8 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXI. 



against the disease has been in continuous operation in the Cloda- 

 veri Delta and since January 1910 it is believed that, in spite 

 of many and great difficulties, ever}'- part of the infected area is> 

 being systematic all}' dealt with. There is no doubt that there ha& 

 been no slight diminution in the disease Mdthin the area of the 

 operations. 



The Palmyra Palm in the Tamil Language. — Ferguson has collect- 

 ed a number of proverbial sajdngs and illustrations from a volume 

 of Tamil proverbs, published by P. Percival. Many of them are 

 so characteristic of native life in India and interesting in them- 

 selves that we consider it worthwhile to reproduce the whole- 

 Fibre used as toothpick — a hit at a spendthrift : " He whose 

 father possesses a thousand Palmyra trees has not a fibre to pick 

 his teeth." — Sharpness of the petiole : " What he saw was a snake 

 but what bit him was the stalk of a Palmyra leaf." — Leaves young 

 and old, illustrative of heirship and succession : "It is said that the 

 young leaves of the Palmyra-tree laughed because the dry leaves 

 fell off." — Tenacity with which fruit clings to the tree : " Will 

 the Palmyra fruit fall because a crow alights on the tree ?" — 

 Size and weight of the fruit : " Can Palmyra fruit be suspended 

 from the neck of a little bird ?" — Tenderness of the germ-taking: 

 unnecessary trouble : " Why use a mallet and wedge for splitting: 

 the newly germinated root of the Palmja-a, that may be split b}^ 

 the hand." Height of abstirdit}' : "As the scorpion stung the 

 Cocoanut tree, the Palmyra swelled in consequence." Felled 

 timber — removal of obstacles : "As an ass perambiilated the 

 place where Palmyra-timber has been felled. " Falling from 

 a Palmyra-tree — injuring a fallen man : "A snake bit him 

 who had fallen from a Palmj'ra-tree." — ' Yorkshire, though in 

 London' : " The fox of the Palmj'ra-tree is said to have deceived 

 the fox of the City." — Avoid even the appearance of evil — toddy- 

 drinking discreditable : " If 3'ou drink under a Palmyra -tree, it 

 will be regarded as toddy." — Palmyra-tree insufficient for shade : 

 " Is the shadow of the Palmja'a-tree a shade, or is the friendship 

 of the malignant friendship." — Rustling of leaves — effects of long- 

 experience : " Will the fox of the Palmyra grove be frightened 

 by the rustling of leaves ?" — ' Tell that to the marines :' "As one 



