Botanical Society of Edinburgh. 



329 



are two kinds sold in the market as purgatives and for bathing the sides 

 of their faces when they have a discharge from the ears. Anonacese is 

 another extensive order. According to the Rev. Mr Thomson, there are 

 sixteen or eighteen kinds. I have collected a number of Bignoniacese and 

 Cinchonacese. I have also met with eight or nine species of Convolvulus, 

 but there are more than that. Amongst the Labiatae is a large species of 

 Salvia, which is used as a medicine. There are three true mints which 

 are used for seasoning ; in fact, all this order is made use of as articles of 

 food. A species of Nymphaea is frequent in the inland streams. 



I think there are from eighteen to twenty-foiir distinct Orchids : one 

 fine terrestrial species has a flowering stem 6ft. or 7ft. high. There are 

 two fine species of Strophanthus. One true Verbena and two Cleroden- 

 drons are abundant. I have also observed two species of Amaranthus, 

 " Love-lies-bleeding" is one of them, but I am doubtful if this is in- 

 digenous, although the natives say so. Both kinds are used as vegetables 

 in Calabar chop. One Pentstemon is found by the margin of a small 

 stream at Ikorofiong, but not plentiful. A Phytolacca and a Polygonum 

 also occur at the same place. I have collected specimens of a Loranthus 

 from trees by the banks of the river. Two species of Lonicera are very 

 common. Leguminous plants are very numerous. Amongst them is a 

 sensitive Mimosa. The poison beans (Physostigma) are often used for 

 deadly purposes. One species is largely cultivated for putting into the 

 streams to poison the fish, and another is sold in the markets for Calabar 

 chop : one kind is very like our scarlet runner. The ripe pods are from 

 6 to 8 inches long, and the fruit is beautifully spotted. Compositas are 

 not so numerous as might be expected : however, there is a due propor- 

 tion. A Tillandsia climbs up the palm trees. There is one fine species 

 of Calophyllum, and a tree belonging to Myrtaceae ; also an Aristolochia, 

 which I think is gigantea. There are five different palms. One large 

 species of Juncus is abundant on the sides of the river at Creek Town ; 

 also another smaller species. There are several Cyperaceae by the river, 

 and amongst the lowland plantations there are a number of Gramineae 

 sprinkled about. Eighteen varieties of yams and six varieties of Colocasia 

 are cultivated ; the flowering stems of the latter, with spathe and spadix, 

 are sold in the markets for putting into Calabar chop. The corms are 

 also boiled, and used by the natives. There are two kinds of Cassava 

 largely cultivated. There is only one true Banana with very small fruit, 

 and eight kinds of plantains, sold in the markets. There is a malvaceous 

 plant cultivated ; the fruit is cut up into slices and put into soups. There 

 are also two species of Agaricus sold in the markets. They are said to be 

 very nourishing, and to give a fine flavour to Calabar chop. The larger 

 kind is also put into rum, as it is of an intoxicating nature. Calabar 

 chop is composed of the following ingredients : — Palm oil, yams, mints of 

 all kinds ; flowering stems, leaves, and corms of the colocasia ; two 

 species of agaricus, the fruit of two leguminous plants, the leaves of two 

 kinds of amaranthus. The rest consists of monkey's flesh, dogs, rats, fish, 

 goats, fowls, parrots, and birds of all kinds ; in fact, everything eatable, 

 whether animal or vegetable, is put into this wonderful dish. It is a 

 favourite dish among the natives, and relished by Europeans, only they 

 take nothing but palm oil, fowls, and goats' flesh. I have only seen three 

 species of snakes. There is only one parrot, five species of monkeys, 

 three rats, and three mice, four or five land crabs, and a number of fresh- 

 water fish J some sixty or eighty butterflies, and a host of beetles and 

 other insects. Amongst my collection I find twenty-four different ants. 

 Such is a very brief outline of the botany and natural history around Old 

 Calabar. 



