102 
Lectures on the Geology, Botany, fyc., of the 
at the time, but afterwards extremely pungent, and a severe pur¬ 
gative. The natives roast and soak them, and probably drink the 
fluid with which they have washed out the pulp. I would not 
even be surprised if this fluid were to undergo fermentation and 
yield a spirituous liquor. After having used the seed-vessel the 
natives break it to obtain the kernel, which is also good to eat. 
The seeds of cycas seem to form a considerable part of the food 
of the natives at Cycas Creek and the Robinson. They are cut in 
slices, and spread over the ground and dried. When brittle, 
they are soaked for several days in water, and afterwards tied up 
in tea-tree bark, to undergo a sort of fermentation, which destroys 
their poisonous principle; for in a fresh state they are violently 
cathartic and emetical. 
We collected three species of rose-apple (eugenia). One was a 
large scarlet fruit, with longitudinal ribs, of a coarse and strong 
aromatic taste. Another was of a delicate rose colour, and 
extremely pleasant. The smaller fruit of a species of acmena was 
also occasionally gathered along the western creeks of Arnheim’s 
Land. 
A small rubiaceous tree at the Upper Lynd bore a rather dry, 
round, many-seeded acidulous fruit, which tasted like coarse rye 
bread, and induced us to call it the little bread-tree. 
The nonda fruit, oblong in form, about an inch in length, and 
of yellow colour when ripe, was very agreeable, and it appeared 
that the emus were very fond of it. But they ate principally the 
unripe fruit, which was excessively bitter. It seems as if this bird 
was altogether fond of bitter fruits; for that of a small euphor- 
biaceous tree, on which the creature principally lived, was perhaps 
the most bitter fruit I have ever tasted, and this bitterness was 
imparted to the flesh, and even to the marrow. 
At Raffles Bay we found « the lugula,” a species of anacardium, 
the succulent fruit stalks of which were very agreeable; but the 
envelope of the seed was exceedingly sharp, blistering our lips and 
skin whenever the juice adhered to them. 
The gibong (persoonia falcata), and the fruit of cxocarpus lati- 
folia were occasionally found and eaten in Arnheim’s Land. 
