EXPLANATORY INDEX. 461 



of its flesh, would make it a welcome addition to our 

 poultry. 



Withm the tropics, however, it is a very common inhabitant 

 of the poultry yard, where its only drawback is, that it 

 assumes authority over the tui-keys and guinea fowls, and 

 pecks them to death if they do not obey. In many parts of 



Guiana there is a belief that if a dog licks up the blood of a 

 wounded Powise, or mumbles its bleeding feathers as dogs 

 love to do, it will go mad. 



PuRPLE-HEAET {Copa^fera jmblijlora). — This most useful 

 tree derives its name from the purple colour of its wood, 

 which is very hard, close-grained, durable, and tough. 



It is, however, chiefly valued for its bark, which is used in 

 making canoes. Mr. C. B. Brown gives the following account 

 of the manufacture : — 



" The bark canoes used by Indians are called ' Woodskins ' 

 by the Creoles, and are made of one piece of bark, stripped 

 from a tree called the Purple-heart (Gopaifera publiflora). 



