POISONED ARROWS OF THE ABORS AND MISHMIS OF NORTH-EAST INDIA. 929 



poison into the circulation, and could do so only tardily by rendering the animal 

 more susceptible to septicaemia, following inflammatory and even necrotic changes 

 in the tissues into which the poison had been inserted. 



5. While thus relatively inert in warm-blooded animals, and presumably, there- 

 fore, in man, the croton arrow-poison is extremely toxic in cold-blooded animals, 

 being for them one of the most lethal of poisons, readily absorbable into the circula- 

 tion and producing irritation and haemorrhages in parts remote from the locality of 

 insertion, and the latter, especially, in the alimentary canal. Remote effects may be 

 produced even without any obvious evidence of local irritation in the place into 

 which the poison has been inserted. These remarkable peculiarities in the action 

 of the Government of India arrow-poison are reproduced by its ether extract and 

 by the oil of Croton Tiglium. 



6. Excepting failure to cause general action in warm-blooded animals, it is in- 

 teresting to note that in many of their important effects, croton arrow-poisons as 

 well as croton oil reproduce the effects of viperine venoms.* 



EXPLANATION OF PLATES. 

 Plate XCVIII. 



Fig. 1. Bamboo quiver containing aconite-poisoned arrows, with basket-work lid, bands, and side 

 receptacle. From the Mishmi country. From Colonel Bailey, R.E. About one-fifth of actual size. For 

 description, see p. 903. 



Fig. 2. Bow used by Abors and Mishmis in shooting poisoned arrows. From Surgeon-General Sir 

 Alfred Sloggett. About one-fourth of actual size. For description, see p. 907. 



Fig. 3. Bamboo quiver filled Avith croton-poisoned arrows, with bamboo lid and without side receptacle. 

 From the Government of India. About one-fifth of actual size. For description, see p. 911. 



Plate XCIX. 

 Abor and Mishmi arrows, illustrating the chief differences in their form. Actual size. 



Fig. I. Arrow prepared for the poison, showing string wound spirally round the upper part of the shaft 

 to increase the adhesion of the poison. From Colonel Bailey. For description, see p. 903. 



Fig. 2.f Aconite-poisoned arrow from the Mishmi country, showing poison on arrow-head and shaft, and 

 markings of underlying spiral of string. From Colonel Bailey. The feathering consists of actual bird 

 feathers. For description, see p. 910. 



Fig. 3. Croton-poisoned arrow from the Abor country, showing the poison thickly smeared on the head 

 and shaft, markings of underlying string, and rounded extremity and rude construction of the arrow-head. 

 From the Government of India. The feathering consists of pieces of palm leaf. For description, see pp. 

 910 and 911. 



Fig. 4. Croton-poisoned arrow from the Abor country, showing exceptionally well-made and sharply 

 pointed arrow-head. From the Government of India. The feathering consists of pieces of palm leaf. For 

 description, see pp. 910 and 911. 



* " The Action of the Venom of Echis carinatus," by the Author and Dr James Gdnn, Philosophical Transactions 

 of the Royal Society of London, Series B, vol. ccii, 1911, pp. 1-27. 



t Fig. 2 represents one of the smallest, and fig. 4 one of the largest, of the Abor and Mishmi poisoned arrows. 

 TRANS. ROY. SOC. EDIN., VOL. L, PART IV (NO. 28). 132 



