103 
That other natives (at least those of western New South Wales) do eat of this manna is borne out 
by the following statement by the late K. H. Bennett, in Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., vii, 351. It is well 
known that Mr. Bennett's knowledge of such matters was both extensive and accurate. 
During the hot summer months another and totally different-looking substance exudes from the 
trunks and branches of some of these trees in large quantities. This substance when freshly exuding 
from the tree resembles a thick froth, either pure white, and resembling snow, or of a pink or rose colour. 
These exudations assume various forms, and become solidified by exposure to a certain extent to the air. 
Sometimes they are in lumps as large as a man's hand, and sometimes in the form of stalactites over a foot 
long, as large as an ordinary candle, and gradually tapering to a point. This substance is of a highly 
saccharine nature, with a peculiar sickly sweetness ; it melts in the mouth like ordinary sugar ; the natives 
are very fond of it, and either eat it, or by dissolving it in water make a kind of drink. 
The sample of manna collected by the Expedition at first sight resembles a brownish earthy substance, 
e.g., a. marly soil containing much lime. On closer examination it is seen to have a pinkish tinge, while 
selected portions are quite white or cream-coloured. It is vesicular in structure, soft and friable, sweetish 
and almost gritty to the taste. Should a demand for it for medicinal purposes, spring up, it could be 
obtained quite pale-coloured and pure, and in considerable abundance, if it were systematically collected 
as is the product of Fraxinus Ornus. 
I sent a specimen to Professor Fliickiger, of Zurich, Switzerland, who more fully 
examined it, and reported on it in Apoth. Zeitung, 1893, s. 39, and Archiv. der Pharmacie, 
1894, s. 311. 
Then we have a paper by R. T. Baker and H. G. Smith, " On the presence of a 
True Manna on a Blue Grass, Andropogon annulata Forsk. (Proc. Roy. Soc. N.S.W., 
xxx, 1896). The substance came from Queensland and the investigation shows the 
principal constituent to be Mannite. It is not a little surprising that exudations from 
plants so dissimilar as the Manna Ash and a Grass should be identical in chemical 
composition. 
2. Botanical Notes on Eucalyptus Manna. 
Ordinary manna has been reported from the following species, in some cases in 
only very small quantities. There is no doubt that observers will greatly augment the 
list. The following species are arranged in alphabetical order. 
a. E. cinerea F.v.M. Rev. Dr. Woolls exhibited " lerp or manna " on the 
branchlets of E. pulverulenta (cinerea) Sims, at Buckley's Crossing, Snowy River, 
N.S.W. (Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., xvi, 381, 1891.) 
Ebert (" Ueber Isopulegon ") states that I forwarded to him manna of this 
species. I find that some was sent under the name E. pulverulenta Sims, var. lanceolata 
Howitt. It was of identical origin to Dr. Woolls' specimen. 
E. cinerea F.v.M., variety nova-anglica Maiden (E. nova-anylica Deane and 
Maiden). 
Mr. W. W. Froggatt informed me that the above " Peppermint " produced 
manna very freely, " so as to make the ground quite white," at Uralla, New England, 
N.S.W. See p. 108. In speaking before the Field Naturalists Society of New South 
Wales in December, 1915, he attributed it to the operations of a coccid. 
