ON INTRODUCED ANIMALS AND PLANTS. 73 



According to a statement preserved in Quintus Curtius ix. 25, 

 " The Indians brought dorsa testudinum to Alexander." It seems 

 probable, however, that the traffic in tortoise-shell by the route of the 

 Red Sea, was at this time in existence. — Carvilius Pollio, according to 

 Pliny ix. 13, first taught the art of splitting tortoise-shell. 



Nearchus in his account of India (quoted by Strabo xv.) speaks of 

 2HPIKA ; usually considered to be silk stuffs, a Chinese manufacture. — 

 The importation of silk stuffs into the Mediterranean countries, took 

 place subsequently ; but they continued to be so rare and costly, that 

 the Emperor Elagabalus was charged with being the first Roman who 

 wore a dress of silk. 



Nearchus (as quoted by Arrian), and Onesicritus (as quoted by 

 Strabo xv.), speak of "the Kathaians tinging the beard of different 

 colours ;" and this was probably accomplished, in part, by the use of 

 henna (Lawsonia). — The introduction of henna into Egypt, appears 

 to have been much later ; Lucan iii. 238, refers the above custom to 

 India; but the "Egyptian kypros" of Dioscorides and Pliny, "the 

 bruised leaves of which redden the hair," corresponds with the henna; 

 and the remarks of Tertullian (De Cult. Fcem. ii. 6), imply a novel 

 practice. Mummies have been discovered, having their nails stained 

 with henna. 



Nearchus (as quoted by Strabo xv.) speaks of an Indian " reed that 

 yields honey without the aid of bees ;" and in this description, we 

 readily recognise the sugar-cane (Saccharum officinale). — Pliny and 

 Galen speak of manufactured sugar, as " a production of Arabia and 

 India ;" and the living plant does not appear to have been introduced 

 into the Mediterranean countries until a much more recent period. 



Aristobulus (as quoted by Arrian) speaks of a species of 2ia<i>ion, 

 growing on the Caucasus and used for feeding cattle. The plant cor- 

 responds to the Prangos pabularia of the Northern declivity of the 

 Himalaya mountains. 



The product attributed to this zia<j>ion, was doubtless the "opos Medi- 

 kos" of Strabo xi., Dioscorides, and Pliny, or assafcetida; supposed to be 

 obtained from more than one species of Ferula, growing on the moun- 

 tains of Persia and Cabul. — The assafcetida of commerce is at least 

 derived from that quarter, for according to Forskal (Mat. Med.), the 

 drug is imported into Egypt from India. 



Aristobulus (as quoted by Strabo xv.), and Megasthenes (as quoted 

 by AthenaBus iv. 39), speak of the Indians eating optza, or rice. The 



