378 Scientific Intelligence. Botany, 
timber trees in the world ; two of them are pre-eminently distin- 
guished for their amazing size, and the excellent qualities of their 
timber. The first of these is the Cowrie of the natives, which 
grows to the height of 140 to 180, and frequently even to 200 
feet, with a trunk clear of branches for 80 or 100 feet, perfectly 
straight, and with a diameter of 5 to 9 feet. The quality of the 
timber is equal to the best Riga fir, and is admirably adapted for 
ship-masts. This tree is a congener of the Amboy na Pitch-tree, 
the Pinas Dammar a of the first volume of Mr Lambert’s work ; 
but which, in the second volume of the same, has been justly con- 
structed into a new genus, under the name of Dammar a; the Am- 
boyna species being there denominated Dammar a orientalis , and 
the Cowrie, or New Zealand species, Dammara australis , of 
\thich a magnificent plate has been given by Mr Lambert. The 
tree yields, both by incision and spontaneously, a pure and limpid 
resin, which soon hardens on exposure to the air. This resin 
has been found on trial to equal the best copal varnish. The 
Cowrie delights in dry elevated situations, and forms the most 
striking object of a New Zealand forest, where it is seen tower- 
ing above the surrounding trees. The only plant of this inte- 
resting tree in Europe, is in the fine collection of the Horticul- 
tural Society of London, at Chiswick, where it is kept in the 
greenhouse, and is very luxuriant. The second is the Kaka - 
terre? the Dacrydium taxifolinm of Solander ; but which, how- 
ever, must form a separate genus. This tree equals the former 
in size, but the quality of its timber is inferior. It delights in 
low marshy ground, and in foliage resembles the yew. 
20. Peculiar kind of Hay used in Thibet— In Thibet, 
where grasses fit for hay are scarce, the natives prefer, as Mr 
Moorcroft informs us, an umbelliferous plant, called by them 
Prangos,” and which may be kept 30 or 40 years without sen- 
sibly losing any of its nutritive properties. This plant, of which 
Mr Moorcroft has sent specimens to the India House, proves to 
be a new species of the genus Cachrys , and nearly akin to the 
Cachrys Sicula. It should be named Cachrys thihetica. In 
habit it is not unlike the common Sulphur-wort, the Peuceda- 
num officinale of Linnaeus. Mr Moorcroft had forwarded alarge 
quantity of the seeds of this plant to the India House ; but un- 
fortunately they had „ all. lost their vegetative property before 
reaching this country. 
