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No. 78 . Croton Tiglium L.* 
,,Fish poisoning is itiuch practiced by all the wild tribes in the 
Islands, and also to a considerable extent in the. outlying distnets 
by peoples who are classed as civilized. The fsh poison is usually 
prepared with considerable ccrcmony by the head men of a village, 
the various ingrcdicnts being poundcd up together and then thrown 
into the strearn or pool. The plants are often mixed with earth 
and rocks, the intention being to sink the noxious plants so that all 
parts of the water may bc poisoned. Very soon, srnall fsh begin 
to fioat on their sides on the top of the 'water, while the larger 
ones move about slowly in a stupefied and helplcss manner. The 
natives then rush into the water and kill and catch all they can, 
after which there is a great feast. Many of the ingredients put 
into the fsh poison mixtures are hannlcss and without effect ” 
( The Philippine Journal of Science Vol. I. Dec. 1906 No. 10). 
„One of the favorite poisons in the Philippincs is tuba which 
is the native name for the fruits of this plant . The toxic effect 
on fish is doubtless due to toxalbumin (crotin). Persons who eat 
fsh poisoned with tuba are not disturbed, although it is considered 
dangerous to drink 'water which contains any quantity of it.” 
(R. F. Bacon, 1906). 
No. 79 . Croton setigerus Hook. (= Eremocarpus setigerus 
Benth.*). 
,,A very lo'w, gray weed, native to California, and popularly known 
as ,,turkey mulle m” . The Indian name signifies „fish soap root;” 
for, as the name i nip lies, the bruis cd leaves are used as a substitute 
for soaproot in the process of catching fish bij stupefying or pois- 
oning them. The early Spaniards wcre wcll acquainted with the 
use of this plant, and therefore called it „yerba del pescado” (the 
fishing herb.). A recent popular name which suggests the intoxi- 
cating act ion of the plant is „fish locoweed”. 
The exact cause of the stupefying or crazing effect is not known. 
Some Indians attribute it to the stellate hairs, which, they say, 
attach themselves to the cycs and gills and make them frantic. If 
these should become thus attached, they would undoubtedly cause 
