374 TlMEHRI. 
tained, as I have long suspected, that these two names 
refer to totally different plants. The name Coomaka 
balli the Arrawaks apply to a Ficus, or perhaps to 
several species of Ficus. Touckpong, on the other hand 
is the (True Carib ?) name for a tree which has now been 
identified at Kew as Sapium biglandulosum, and 
it was from this tree that the rubber sent home by 
Mr. Jenman under the name of touckpong or coomaka- 
balli was derived. It is a remarkable fact that, now 
that his attention has been attracted to the tree, Mr. 
JENMAN finds that the tree is very common about the 
cultivated coast lands and even in the Botanical Gardens. 
It should be added, however, that Professor Oliver re- 
gards the Pomeroon tree as different from that of the 
coast land. If the latter is the true S. biglandulosum, 
perhaps the former should be regarded as a variety of 
the same species. 
Balata. — The following correspondence on the subject 
of the commercial value of Balata contains much impor- 
tant information : — 
Government Secretary's Office, Georgetown, Demerara, 
9th September, 1884. 
Sir,— I have the honor by direction of the Governor to forward for 
your information copy of a letter from Kew Gardens to the Colonial 
Office, with its enclosures relative to the commercial prospe&s of Gum 
Balata. 
I have the honor, &c, 
J. FRANCIS VILLIERS, 
Afting Government Secretary. 
E. F. im Thurn, Esq., S. M., Pomeroon. 
Kew Gardens to the Colonial Office. 
Royal Gardens Kew, 
August 1, 1884. 
Sir,— The Botanical Department, Demerara, having applied to this 
