2 



trunk. I believe the cause of bleeding to be insect-bores, but 

 had not sufficient time to examine it closely, as my camel was 

 very restive. The taste is sweet as sugar." 



In spite of its sweetness, Mr. Helms informs me, that tlie 

 natives were not partial to it, preferring the gum of Acacia 

 leiophylla ; probably because of its laxative property, and iiot 

 from any objection to its sweetness, inasmuch as the blacks eat 

 lerp and Eucalyptus-mannas, honey stored by bees, and also suck 

 the honey-laden flowers of certain plants. It will be remembered 

 that Sir Thomas Mitchell offered sugar to an aboriginal child, 

 who spat it out with every manifestation of disgust, but the 

 blacks usually do so with any edible to which they are unaccus- 

 tomed. 



That other natives (at least those of western New South 

 Wales) do eat of this manna is borne out by the following state- 

 ment by the late K. H. Bennett, in Proc. Linn. Soc, N.S.W., 

 TIL, 351. It is well known that Mr. Bennett's knowledge of such 

 matters was both extensive and accurate. 



" During the hot summer months another' and totally different 

 looking substance exudes from the trunks and branches of some 

 of these trees in large quantities. This substance when freshly 

 exuding from tlie tree resembles a thick froth, either pure white, 

 and resembling snow, or of a pink or rose colour. These exu- 

 dations assume various forms, and become solidified by exposure 

 to a certain extent to the air. Sometimes they are in lumps as 

 large as a man's hand, and sometimes in the form of stalactites over 

 a foot long, as large as an ordinary candle, and gradually tapering 

 to a point This substance is of a highly saccharine nature, with 

 a peculiar sickly sweetness ; it melts in the morith like ordinary 

 sugar ; the natives are very fond of it, and either eat it, or by 

 dissolving it in water make a kind of drink." 



The sample of manna collected by the Expedition at first sight 

 resembles a brownish earthy substance, e.(/., a marly soil contain- 

 ing much lime. On closer examination it is seen to have a pinkish 

 tinge, while selected portions are quite white or cream-coloured.* 

 It is vesicular in structure, soft and friable, sweetish and almost 

 gritty to the taste. Should a demand for it for medicinal pur- 

 poses spring up, it could be obtained quite pale coloured and 

 pure, and in considerable abundance, if it were systematically 

 collected as is the product of FraxAwas Orniis. 



* In the district of Fowler Bay, the native name of the manna is " onte- 

 man," that of tlie sandal-wood " poolkerah ; " according to Mrs. Richards 

 the fresh manna is quite white, and is full of insects, but becomes discol- 

 oured with age. — Kditor. 



