Bati—Ldentification of the Animals and Plants of India. 341 
11. Pepper (Ilézept). 
Piper nigrum, Linn.—Black Pepper (Sansk., peppalz). 
Mr. M‘Crindle’s note on this subject, when referring to the 
mention of it in the Periplus, is as follows :—“ Kottonarik pepper ex- 
ported in large quantities from Mouziris and Nilkunda; long pepper 
from Barugaza. Kottonara was the name of the district, and Kotto- 
narikon the name of the pepper for which the district was famous. 
Dr. Buchanan identifies Kottonara with Kadattanadu, a district in 
the Calicut country celebrated for its pepper. Dr. Burnell, however, 
identifies it with Kolatta nadu, the district about Tellicherry, which, 
he says, is the pepper district.” 
Malabar continues to produce the best pepper in the world; but 
Sumatra and other islands cultivate and export largely. 
The pepper vine is planted near trees which it ascends to the height 
of 20 or 30 feet. The berries, which are collected before bemg quite 
ripe, aredried in the sun; white pepper only differs from black by 
haying the outer skin removed, for which purpose the berries are first 
macerated. 
12. MaranatHrum (MoaddBabpor). 
Cinnamomum tamala, Nees, and Dalchini, Hin. 
The leaves of this tree, which are known to the natives of India as 
tezpat or tajpat, appear to be indentical with the Malabathrum of the 
Greeks. It was obtained by the Thinai from the Sesatai, and exported 
to India, conveyed down the Ganges to Gange, near its mouth ; and it 
was also brought from the interior of India to Mouziris and Nelkunda 
for export. 
Mr. M‘Crindle who seems to regard it as identical with betel 
(Chavica betel, Mig.), from which, however, it is quite distinct, men- 
tions that according to Ptolemy (vi. u., 16), the best varieties of 
Malabathrum came from Kirrhadia—that is to say, Rangpur in Eastern 
Bengal. The description given in the Periplus of how the Malaba- 
thrum was prepared by the Thinai (Chinese ?), from leaves which 
were used by the Sesatai to wrap up the goods which they brought to 
market, is very curious, and must refer to some custom of an Assamese 
tribe, which is still probably capable of illustration and elucidation. 
All the indications of position point to the mountainous regions in- 
cluded in and surrounding Assam as the home of the Malabathrum, and 
there in fact the above-named tree abounds, extending westwards to 
the Sutlej, and sparingly to the Indus; and eastwards to Burma. 
It is also found in Queensland, Australia. 
103 Cf, Periplus of the Erythraan Sea, pp. 28, 25. 
