— 143 — 



it are very obscure and conflicting ; many authors however agree in saying that it is 

 not an original product, but a balm composed of different otlier essences. 



Myrrh. Is generally called ^_ |^ and sonietimes ^ ^A, 



Olibanum. According to the Pên-ts'au Kang-niu , ^ ^f§* aiic ^ JE fë|| 



^r are the same substance, but its description does not enable us to identify it. 



Dr. Brettschneider (Arabs, p. 19) says he analyzed a specimen passing under this name, 

 which proved to be olibanum, mixed with other substances. 



Hslotg-chên Hslang , f^ Üi ^J£ , is the name of a fragrant wood, much 



used as incense, but which we have not been able to determine. Dr. Williams says 

 it comes from Sumatra , where it is called laka-wood , and is the product of a tree to 

 which the name of Tanarius major is given by him. For different reasons we think 

 this identification subject to doubt. 



Benzoin, ^r ^ ^- gold and silver incense. It is described as folio ws in 



the Tung Hsi Yang IC au, Book 3, p. 23 r: //Inside this incense are white spots 

 as clods of white' wax; the best sort has much of this white and the inferior sorts 

 but little. When burnt it is very fragrant." We think this description cannot but 

 apply to the gum benzoin. 



Dragonsblood , ordinarily called rnT jjM dried blood, is sometimes written ||ji 

 Jjjjpl jfrT the blood of the Jcilin , a fabulous animal in Chinese mythology. 



Ambergris, Hl? ffi ^i dragon-spittle perfume. From the description on page 

 100, there is not the slightest doubt that this translation must be correct. 



Cloves, 'T* ^t nail-incense , are sometimes called |||| : & 5[& foiol-tongue in- 

 cense, not to confounded with ||l| *j=|* 5J£ fowl-hone incense, a kind of lignum aloes, 

 q. v. 



Cowries are mostly designated by J| sometimes also by ^ J^ or J| ~^ , 



Sandalwood ; the full name is /j® ifepjl a transcription of the native sound, 



but this is generally abbreviated int o /k]g 



Cassowary , *V Hj| the fire-fowl. The Tung Hsi Yang K'au describes it as 



follows : //This bird is found in Sumatra; its body is round and of the size of a goose ; 

 it has a long neck with two excrescences , soft and red , which form a kind of cap. 

 Its bill is pointed and its feathers like goatshair; it has long legs with sharp claws 

 and it likes to eat burning coals , from which it has got its name.'" 



The other articles , animals , etc. mentioned in the course of these pages , are 

 sufBciently known to be identified without any further explanation. 



