NOTICES OF MEMOIRS. 
63 
The Bamboo as a Paper Material. 
The bamboo, which grows abundantly in most of the 
West India Islands, has been for some time past largely 
exported from Jamaica to New York in bales and bundles 
for the purpose of being manufactured into paper, and has 
proved quite as valuable as rags. The value of the bam- 
boos growing in Jamaica has been estimated as high as 
£150,000. The bulk of the article stood hitherto, however, 
in the way of shipment. Made up into bundles of large 
dimensions, the hold of a vessel was soon filled, and cap- 
tains did not care to take it as freight, any vessels so laden 
becoming top-heavy. To prevent this, the vessel had first 
to be stored with heavy cargo on her ground tier, thus 
allowing less space for bamboo. To obviate this, efforts 
have lately been made with success in the island to crush 
the bamboo between mill-rollers, and, by screw press- 
ing, pack it into bales, as is now done with esparto and 
other bulky fibres. 
On Rhynchoprion penetrans. By Prof. H. Karsten. 
In the 11 Annals and Magazine of Natural History ” (3 
ser. vol. xv, p. 293) Professor Karsten gives an account of 
the Nigua or Chigo, Rhynchoprion penetrans, fPulex penetrans 
Linn.) After remarking upon the imperfect knowledge 
we still possess of this curious parasite and giving its syno- 
nymy and a list of the authors who have described it, Prof. 
Karsten shows that the species is confined to tropical and 
subtropical America, ranging from Virginia in about 30° 
N. to Paraguay in 29° S. The insect is always met with 
in the vicinity of human habitations. Occupied or deserted 
leaf huts made by field-laborers or travellers for temporary 
