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Central and Eastern Arabia something neAv for Botanists. A 
plant is described under the name of Laughing Plant, the 
seeds of •which produce effects very much like laughing gas. 
It grows solely in Arabia attaining a height of only about six 
inches at Kasyem, while at Oman it rises to 3 or 4 feet, with 
wide-spreading branches, being woody and the leaves green. 
Its flowers, in tuffs, are yellow. Two or three black seeds 
much like Erencli Beans in size and shape, are produced in a 
soft woolly kind of capsule. They have a sweetish taste, 
with a slight flavour of opium. The odour from them is ra- 
ther offensive, producing a sickening sensation. The essen- 
tial property of this extraordinary plant is in the seed, which 
pulverised and administered cautiously, soon begins to operate 
in a way to create astonishment. 
“ The person begins to laugh boisterously ; then he dan- 
ces, sings and cuts fantastic capers as a ludicrous character. 
Such extravagance of manner was never witnessed from any 
other dosing. It is uproariously funny for about an hour. 
It is a common amusement to charge food with the powder 
for an unspccting individual, for the harmless enjoyment of 
hia capering antics. When the excitement subsides the exhaus- 
ted exhibitor falls into a profound slumber. In another hour, 
on awakening, he is totally unconscious of what has occurred, 
“ We do not hnow what plant is here intended, the des- 
cription being utterly useless for botanical purposes.” 
En tous eas, dit le Secretaire, ceci est fort sujet a cau- 
tion et le fait est sounds a l’appreciation de la Societe ; mais 
comme on le dit au barreau sous toutes reserves goneralement 
(jiielconques. 
