The Forests of British Guiana. 187 
with black and brown veins ; it takes a fine polish 
and is useful for making articles of furniture, and 
cabinet work of any description. Under water it lasts 
a long time, and on the bottom of a punt or boat 
will outlast almost any other wood. The tree attains 
to an average height of about 1 00 feet, and will square 
20 inches free from sap. The bark contains a sticky gum. 
SlMIRI. — (Hymenxa Courbaril, Lin.) is abundant and 
grows best in white sandy soil. The wood is hard, heavy 
and close-grained, of a brown colour streaked with veins, 
and takes a fine polish. It is used for making furniture, 
mill-beds, and tree nails for planking ships. There 
are two varieties of this tree, simiri and k'wanarri- 
The pulp surrounding the pods of the beans is 
edible. The Indians make wood-skin canoes from the 
bark. The tree yields the gum-animi or " locust gum" 
of commerce. The gum is found in large quantities 
where a tree has rotted away, many barrels-ful being 
often taken from one spot ; the gum forms in the inner 
part of a hollow tree, and it may also be procured in 
small quantities by tapping. 
Hiawa-balli, (Omphalobium Lambert i, Dec.) is a rare 
tree and its wood is in great request for cabinet-work. It 
is easily worked and of great beauty. It grows in sandy, 
rocky soil, and often attains a large size. Its average 
height is about 90 feet, and it will square 12 inches. 
It has a sticky gum. 
SlRIBlDANNl grows in loose sandy soil and is plentiful in 
some localities. It does not grow to a large size and the 
wood is very sappy. The heart is of a purple colour 
close-grained and hard, and is useful for inlaying and 
