OF ACCOMPANYING ANIMALS AND PLANTS. 425 



Already in the time of Agatharchides 61, circumcision practised by the East African tribes ; and 

 in some instances among the Troglodytae, total excision. "Blood and milk " also mixed together 

 for food by the pastoral tribes; — as to the present day a little farther South among the Galla. 



Beyond the agricultural Ethiopians bordering Egypt, the Rhizophagi on the Astaboras, are 

 described by Agatharchides 50 as living on roots ofKAAAMWN growing in great abundance in the 

 marshes: — PhragmiUs communis, eight feet high and called " mataetaj," was observed by Grant 

 "from 4 55' N. to 9 N. the banks of the Nile to the horizon are a sea of this reed," and farther 

 South, made into flutes by the Waganda, " said to grow arm-thickness at Lake N'yassa," used for 

 huts. 



Herminiera elaphroxylon of Tropical Africa. The pith-tree is a Leguminous tree called 

 "ambash" (Grant); and the YA H C: ATTAAHC grasped according to Agatharchides 30 by the Ethi- 

 opians inhabiting the marshes, — may be compared : H. elaphroxylon was observed by Grant from 

 " 3 to 8° N.," its light logs used by the natives in swimming across the Nile, and the tree growing 

 " so rapidly that in three years it almost choked up the channel of the r. Bahr-el-Gazelle." West- 

 ward, was observed by Guillemin and Perrotet in Senegambia. 



Beyond the Rhizophagi, according to Agatharchides 51, the Spermatophagi and Hylophagi 

 much resemble each other ; the Spermatophagi living in summer on spontaneous fruits falling from the 

 trees, and during the remainder of the year on an herb BOTANHC growing in shady valleys and 

 having a stem like that of B Y N I A C I N. 



Blepharis edulis of Nubia and Tropical Arabia. A Ruellioid plant called in Yemen "zogaf" 

 (Forsk.) ; and possibly the BOTANHC in question: — B. edulis was observed by Grant, the only 

 vegetation " on the firm sand desert behind Meroe, 16 50' N. ; " by Forskal p. 1 14, about Lohaja and 

 Mor in Yemen, the leaves " sapida," eaten crude ; is known to grow as far as Persia (Burm. ind. pi. 

 42, and Pers.). 



Ruellia sp. of Eastern Equatorial Africa. Included perhaps in the " votanes " eaten by the Ethio- 

 pians : — observed by Grant " about 2° N." on the steep banks of the Nile, and eaten by his attend- 

 ants "at Chogwe hills," in 5° 30' S. 



Sclerocarya birrea of Eastern Equatorial Africa. A forest tree called " m'choowee " (Grant) ; 

 and its fruit probably included among those eaten by the Spermatophagi : — observed by Grant from 

 " 5 S. to 3 15' N." on the Nile, the kernels of its fruit eaten, and its wood used for grain-mortars. 

 Received from Africa, and described by Hochstetter. 



Anacardiacecz ?? of Eastern Equatorial Africa. A tree called "m'soowee" (Grant); and its 

 fruit probably among the kinds eaten by the Spermatophagi: — observed by Grant from Turah 

 nullah 5 S. to " Madi 3° N." on the Nile, its bullet-sized plums eaten, and its wood used for grain- 

 mortars. 



Detarium sp. of Eastern Equatorial Africa. A Leguminous tree called " bootoo " (Grant) ; and 

 its pods probably included among the fruits eaten by the Spermatophagi: — observed by Grant at 

 " 3 15' N." on the Nile, its fruit eaten. 



Syzygium Guineense of Equatorial Africa. A small Myrtaceous tree called "m'sawa" (Grant) ; 

 and its fruit probably among the kinds eaten by the Spermatophagi : — observed by Grant in " 3° N." 

 on the Nile, its fruit eaten. Westward, was received by Decandolle from Guinea. 



Terimnalia sp. of Eastern Equatorial Africa. A large tree called " m'foof'oo " (Grant) ; and its 

 nuts probably included among the fruits eaten by the Spermatophagi: — observed by Grant from 

 Unyanyembd to Gani, 5 S. to 3 N. on the Nile, its nuts eaten, and its wood used for building and 

 for tinting bark-cloth yellow by the Wanyamuezi. 



Rubiac. of Eastern Equatorial Africa. Called " m'koolookootoot'oo " (Grant) ; and its fruit 

 probably included among the kinds eaten by the Spermatophagi: — observed by Grant in Madi on 

 the Nile, its drupe pleasant-tasting. 



Carissa sp. of Eastern Equatorial Africa. Resembling an orange tree, thorny and called 

 '■ m'fombwah " (Grant); and its fruit probably among the kinds eaten by the Spermatophagi: — 

 observed by Grant in "3 N." on the Nile, its fruit eaten, and its roots used to remedy coughs by 

 the Wanyamuezi. 



Vitex sp. of Tropical Africa. A very handsome umbrageous tree called " m'foo " (Grant) ; and 

 its fruit probably among the kinds eaten by the Spermatophagi: — observed by Grant in "forests 

 3 58' S. to 2° 30' N." on the Nile, its fruit eaten, and wood made into drums : by Livingstone no. 5, 

 observed farther South ; received also from Africa and described by Don. 



1 Ficus sp. of Eastern Equatorial Africa. A large tree (Grant); and its fruit probably among the 

 ■kinds eaten by the Spermatophagi : — observed by Grant "Jan. and Feb.," Madi to Gondokoro "4 

 54' N." on the Nile, its figs half an inch in diameter, sweet. 



Rhamnus sp. of Eastern Equatorial Africa. A shrub called by the Wanyamuezi " m'quaeta:- 

 quasta; " (Grant) ; and its fruit possibly among the kinds eaten by the Spermatophagi : — observed 



54 



