32 
Lettcana, Albizzia) ; Myrtaceae (Barringtonia, Gnstavia} ; Compositae (Clibadium, 
Ichthyothere); Campanulaceae (Tupa) ; Ericaceae (Rhododendron}; Primulace;*- 
(Cyclamen); Myrsineas (Aegicerns, Jacquinia) ; Sapotaceae (Bassia) ; Ebenacese 
(Diospyros); Apocynea3 (Melodinm, Thevetia, Cerbera, Aspidosperma) ; Loganiaceae 
(Buddleia, Strychnos) ; Solanacese (Hyoscyamus, Nicotiana) ; Scrophularineae 
(Verbascvm, Digitalis}; Bignoniaceae (Bignonia, Tecoma, Jacaranda) ; Labiatae 
(Eremostachyn) ; Chenopodiacese (Chenopodium) ; Polygoneae (Polygomim) ; 
Aristolochiacese (Aristolochia) ; Piperaceae (Piper) ; Thymelaeaceae (Daphne, 
Wilkntroevnia} ; Euphorbiacese (Euphorbia, Phyllanthus, Securinega, P.iranhea, 
Croton, Joannesia, Manihot, Jatropha, Excascaria, Rura) ; Coniferae ( Taxus) ; 
Liliaceae ( Veratrum). 
Ernst* lists only sixty species that are used as fish poison. There must, 
however, be considerably more, as indicated by Radlkofer. 
W. M. I. Brost Pauwelst in his contribution on the Surinamic fish poisoning* 
plants contributes an interesting article on the subject. 
Pauwels, who made an investigation of Nekoe (Lonchocarpus violacew), states 
that it is a powerfully toxic substance. He found that Nekoeid will poison fish in 
proportion of 1-5,000,000, and that a second substance, B. Nekoeid, will poison fish 
in proportion of 1-10,000,000. The poison will take effect in one hour. The water 
poisoned with the substance will cause the fish to make an effort to get away from 
the poison they are in a horizontal position, breathe heavily, come to the surface 
of the water and try to jump out, and finally breathing becomes increasingly 
difficult, and at last they turn on their backs and die. 
(Manual of Poisonous Plants, Pammel, pp. 52-3.) 
Menispermaceae. 
The aborigines near Nerang in Southern Queensland use the Tape Vine for catching fish. They 
term it " Nyannum," and it was identified as Stephania hemandicefolia. In a paper communicated to the 
Linnean Society of New South Wales by Dr. T. L. Bancroft, in 1889, it was pointed out that an extract 
from the root of this plant is extremely poisonous to frogs, and that the poison causes loss of co-ordination 
of muscular movement in the creature. He also states that the action of the poison is similar to that of 
Picrotoxin, and that like that substance, it is an alkaloid. In a paper to the Royal Society of South 
Australia, in 1894, Dr. Rennie showed that Picrotoxin, as well as a second poisonous alkaloid, could be 
found in an extract from this plant. The part employed by the blacks is the stem, which is cut in 
lengths of about 2 feet, and frayed out by beating, just in the same manner as that by which the native 
cloth of the South Sea Islanders is made. The structure of the stem is abnormal in menisperms, the 
medullary rays being in excess, and possibly this aids in the fraying out of the plant. A well-known 
waterhole or rock-pool, noted as a good haunt for fish, is selected, and the bruised stem is scattered about 
in the water of the pool. The alkaloid is extracted from the bruised plant by the water, and its action 
upon the fish is said to be very rapid. Probably it also causes "a loss of co-ordination of muscular 
movement," as stated by Dr. Bancroft ; but whatever the way in which it acts, the fish float on the surface 
of the water, and soon find their way into the dilly-bags of the operators. It is asserted by the farmers 
living in the neighbourhood tha f , the fish recover after a time, if left in the poisoned water, but of that I 
* Memorio. Bot. el Embarbascar o sea la Pesca por media de Plantia veaenosas. 
t Bijdrage tot de Kennis der Surinaamsche Vischvergiften. M. (Jreshoff has likewise published a number of works 
on fish poisoning plants. 
* Hart and Swatters found in the Piwidia Erythriua pisuiilin, C 19 H r O|, and Greshoff found in Pacliyrhku* anyulatut, 
pachyrhizid, C M H 18 Oj (OCH,) 3 . 
