402 Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy. 
COLLOQUY XYI. 
(1) Do Coco Comum; (2) e do das Maldivas. 
[Concerning the common cocoa-nut and that of the Maldives (shouhi 
be of the Seychelles.)] 
(1) — The cocoa-nnt, Cocos nucifera, Linn. 
It is known by the following names; maro, the tree, and narel 
[nariyala) the fruit : names used by all as well as the Persians and 
Aidihs', jauzialindi {jarije al Indi, i.e. nut of India), so called byAvicena; 
jar-al-nare (i.e. tree of the coco), so called by Serapion and Easis ; 
temgamaram the tree, temga the fruit, by the Malabaris ; tricam the 
tree, nihor the fruit, in Malacca; Coco by the Portuguese, because the 
fruit with its three scars resembles the face of the " hogio " or other 
animal. 
This palm thrives best in sandy soil, especially near habitations, 
and is not found far in the interior. Parenthetically he remarks that 
the palmeira (i.e. JBarassus flalelliformis) was unknown to the Greeks, 
and that the Arabs wrote little about it. 
The timber of the Coco palm, though not very good, is useful on 
account of its great length. In the Maldives vessels are wholly con- 
structed and fitted of materials furnished by the palm. In Malabar 
houses are thatched with the leaves, called oUa by the Portuguese. 
There are two varieties of the palm, one yielding fruits and the other 
sura (i.e. toddy), which when fermented, they call orraca {arrach) and 
the finer quality which resembles brandy they call fula (from phul a 
flower). By mixing the orraca with a small quantity of sura, and 
placing it in the sun they make vinegar. After the sura they draw from 
the tree a further fluid from which, when thickened by sun or fire 
heat they mdk.ejagra {i.Q.jaggary = molasses). The best kind is from the 
Maldives, being not so black as that from other countries. "When fresh 
the fruit has a tender rind which tastes like the artichoke, a languid 
and sweet kernel, and a soft and sweet water. In its green state it is 
called elevi by the Malabaris, and lanha in Goa. The fibre of the husk 
is called cairo (koir) and is used for cordage and caulking vessels, as it 
does not rot in sea water. The shells are used as cups by the meaner 
sort of people, and the charcoal made by burning them is used by 
goldsmiths. Of the pounded fruit, with the milk, they prepare a dish 
which resembles rice and goat's milk. Prom the dried fruit called 
copra (Jchopra) they extract oil by means of a press, and they use it 
