684 THE AMERICAN NATURALIST [Vol. XLII 



of the blue gum {Eucalyptus globulus) is a favorite. The leaves 

 of yerba santa (Eriodictyon calif ornicum) is smoked to cure 

 colds and also by the boys for the pure joy of smoking. The 

 leaves of the California bay (Umbellularia calif omica) are often 

 used in the same ways. I am informed by Dr. H. M. Hall that 

 the composite Atrichoseris platyphylla is called " Tobacco weed" 

 by the boys of Palo Verde, in the Colorado Desert of California 

 and is in decided favor with them for smoking. This plant is 

 decidedly rare to the botanist, but after heavy rains it becomes 

 plentiful in sandy places and its broad basal leaves are well 

 adapted to being rolled into "cigars." 



Dr. G. H. Shull informs me that the leaves of the American 

 pennyroyal (Hedeoma pulegioides) is smoked by the boys in 

 some parts of Ohio. 



The wild species of Nicotiana have furnished and still do 

 furnish the smoking materials of certain aboriginal peoples from 

 the neighborhood of Oregon south to Chile, but there is no record 

 of their having been used by juveniles of the white races. I 

 learn, however, from Professor R. H. Forbes, of the University 

 of Arizona, that the "wild tobacco" of the neighborhood of 

 Tucson, which, however, is Nicotiana glauca, the tree tobacco, is 

 smoked by boys and without injurious effect. 



The above facts are probably but a few of those on this subject 

 which may be gathered and I trust that others may take suffi- 

 cient interest to add to the list. 



William Albert Setchell. 



