of the Tabajheer. zys 
legion, they generally agree in the Tabaflieer being a pro- 
duction of the Indian reed ; more efpecially of fuch as have 
fuffered from fire, kindled by the friction of the reeds one 
again ft the other ; an accident fuppofed to happen frequently in 
the dry lea foil, among the hills, where the bamboo forms vaft 
and impenetrable thickets. 
Several of the mountaineers, with whom I have converfed 
on the fubjcct, affirm, that the bamboo is not the only tree 
fubjeft to accidental ignition by friction, and named one or 
two other trees liable to the fame accident ; but added, they 
never looked for Tabaflieer in the half- burnt fragments of the 
bamboo, though they doubted not it might fometimes be found 
there as well as in others. 
The genuine Tabaflieer is undoubtedly a production of the 
Arundo Bambos of Linnaeus, the Uy of the Hortus Mala- 
baricus, and the Arundo Indica arbor m maxima , cortice fpi- 
ttofo, of Herman. It is no lefs certain, that fire is not a ne- 
cefiary agent in its production, whether the conflagrations in 
the mountains juft now mentioned be reckoned fabulous or 
not. 
The bamboo in which the Tabaflieer is found is vulgarly 
called the Female Bamboo, and is diftinguifhed by the large- 
nefs of its cavity from the male, employed for Ipears or 
lances. They are faid to be feparate trees ; but this fa£t I 
have not had it in my power to afcertain. 
Of the feven pieces of bamboo which accompany this Pa- 
per, four are from the mountains in the vicinity of Vellore, 
and three from a place twenty miles from hence. The former 
were perfectly green on their arrival at Madras ; and the others 
were feleded from a large parcel, which were green alfo when 
they came to my hands. Thefe were all feledted on a con- 
O o 2 jedture 
