Miscellaneous. 77 



Academy.) — The animal above is of a uniform dark olive colour ; 

 an irregular row of small yellowish spots is observed upon the 

 sides of the body near the dorsum ; several are also seen upon the 

 neck, the upper part of the tail, and also the posterior extremities 

 in the specimen examined. The under part of the animal is light 

 olive. 



Dimensions. — Length of head 6J lines ; greatest breadth 6 lines ; 

 length of neck and body to vent 1 inch 1 1 lines ; length of tail 2 

 inches 1 line ; total length 4 inches 7 lines. 



Hab. Monterey, Upper California. It is said to be abundant in 

 that region. — Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Phi- 

 ladelphia, vol. iv. p. 126. 



The Pine Tree of the Tenasserim Provinces. By the Rev. F. Mason. 

 Some twenty years ago the residents of Moulmain were not a 

 little surprised to find, among the drift wood of the Sal wen, a log 

 of some coniferous tree. This was the first intimation that any tree 

 of the pine tribe grew on the borders of these provinces ; but whether 

 it were of the genus Pinus, or Abies, or Larix, a pine, a fir, or a larch, 

 did not appear. It was several years after this occurrence that one 

 of our former commissioners told the writer he had offered a hundred 

 rupees to any of the foresters who would bring down a spar of this 

 tree. Spars have been subsequently brought down ; but it is be- 

 lieved that Captain Latter, the Superintendent of Forests in these 

 provinces, is the first European who has visited the locality where 

 the tree is indigenous ; and from specimens of the foliage and fruit, 

 which he has brought away with him, it appears to be a new species 

 of Pinus, that may be characterized thus : — 



P. Latteri. Arbor 50-60 pedalis, cortice scabro, foliis geminis 7-8 

 uncialibus caniculatis serratis* scabriusculis, strobilis 4 unciali- 

 bus ovato-conicis, squamis rhombeis inermibus. 



Hab. In provincia Amherst : in convalli fluvii Thoungyeen. 



Descr. A tree of from 50 to 60 feet high or more, and from \\ 

 to 2 feet or more in diameter. Sheaths of the leaves arranged 

 spirally, tubular, membranous, 6 lines long. Leaves two from each 

 sheath, equal, from 7 to 8 inches long, acute with a sharp point, 

 convex on the back, slightly scabrous with eight rows, in pairs, of 

 very minute thorns w r hich produce a striated appearance, hollow on 

 the under surface, serrated ; cones ovate-conical, nearly 4 inches long. 

 Scales rhomboid, unarmed. 



The flower is unknown ; a single ripe cone that had cast its seeds 

 and a small branch being all the materials that haVe been furnished 

 for description. 



Specimens of the wood that have fallen under the writer's notice 

 contain more resinous matter than any other species of Coniferse he 

 ever saw. It appears like woody fibre immersed in resin. The 

 Karens make tar from the wood by a very simple process ; and large 



* Lindley says of the order, " Leaves entire at the margins;" but these 

 are certainly finely serrated ; and I find P. excelsa described with leaves 

 " toothleted." 



