“MISCELLANEOUS NOTES. 427 
S. colubrina contain it in large quantities. It would be interesting to examine 
chemically the woods of all the species of Strychnos, and to see which of them 
do contain strychnine, and those which contain it may be styled the true 
Lignum colubrinum, because the value of the wood depends entirely, as far 
as it is known, upon the presence of this alkaloid. There are about 60 
species of Strychnos in the tropics, out of which 4 are natives of Bombay, 
namely S. Colubrina, Linn ; S. Dalzellit, Clarke ; S Nuxw Vomica, Linn, ; and 
S. Potatorwm, Linn, 
(3) ‘ When the Viceroy D. Constatino went to Jafnapatam, which is an 
Island near Ceylon, they brought him a present of some bundles of a wood 
with its roots as a much-valued antidote in poisons. This root is aromatic 
and it is thin, hard, and dark in colour, These roots are said to be very 
common in the plains of Goa.” his root is, no doubt, that of the Indian 
Birthwort, Aristolochia Indica, Linn., N. O. Aristolochiucee, a plant very 
common in Goa, but not in other parts of the South Konkan. This root was 
known in the 15th century as the “ Raiz da _ obra” orsnake-root. It is curious 
that the name snake-root or serpentary was given in about 1636 to the root 
of another species of the same genus, namely, A, Serpentina, Linn., a native 
of Virginia, It was highly praised as a remedy for the bite of the rattle-snake 
and of rabid dogs, he reputed properties of this plant are now quite dis- 
regarded, The properties of the Indian Birthwort (sapus, Konk ; sapsund, 
Mar.) are described by Rheede as follows : ‘‘ Dococtum hujus plant cum oleo 
pro linimento adhibitus venenatum serpentum sanat morsum.” ‘he root still 
enjoys a reputation in snake-bite among the country-folks in the South Kon- 
kan, but its chief use is in the bowel complaints of children, 
Before concluding I would make a historical note which may be of some 
interest to the inhabitants of Bombay. Garcia d’Orta,in describing the Areca 
or Supari Palm, says: “ A melhor (areca) é a de Mombaim, terra e ilha de que 
Hl-Rei nosso senhor me fez mercé, aforada em fatiota,’ or that “ the best 
supari is that of Mombaim, land and island which H, M. the King granted to 
me by emphyteusis.’ From this extract it is evident, first, that Bombay or 
Bombaim was sometimes known as Mombaim (the first letter being M and 
not B)in 1563; secondly, that Bombay was famous in those days for its 
areca ; and thirdly, that the Island, with some of the adjoining land, was the 
sole property of Dr, Garcia d’Orta long before it was given in dowry to the 
Infanta Catharina. 
D. G. DALGADO, M.D. 
SAVANTVADI, 2nd August, 1893, 
No, I1.—THE NEST OF STEWART’S WREN-WARBLER. 
I send herewith two nests, made one after the other by the same identical 
pair of birds (Prinia stewarti), The materials are the same in both, but the 
construction is different, In No, 1 the birds, having chosen a small narrow- 
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