THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 151 
shelter erected for the guards who protected the crops from wild 
animals such as jackals. The melons (Cucumis melo) and 
(Citrullus vulgaris) were also both grown on an extensive scale, 
both in Egypt and Palestine. In Numb. 11 ch., 5, it is related 
how the Israelites while in the wilderness mourned after “the 
cucumbers, and the melons, and the leeks, and the onions, and 
the garlick”: which had been so abundant in Egypt. 
Gourd. There is only one reference (Jonah 4 ch., 6-10) to 
the gourd, other than the wild gourd already mentioned, and 
though other plants, such as the castor-oil tree, have been sug- 
gested, the only one which answers the description is Cucurbita 
pepo a rapidly growing climbing gourd which withers rapidly 
when the stem is cut. 
Mandrake. (Mandragora officinarum). This plant has 
been the subject of many superstitions. The roots were sup- 
posed, for example, to bear a human shape and to shriek when 
pulled. It is twice mentioned, in Gen. 30 ch., 14, and in Song. 
Sol. 7 ch., 13, “The mandrakes give a smell, and at our gates” 
are all manner of pleasant fruits.” The fruit is sweet and of 
good flavour, something like a large plum, and has a pleasant 
smell. 
Onion, Leek, Garlick. These common pot herbs have been 
already mentioned when speaking of the cucumber. 
Mint, Anise, Cummin, Rue. These were the herbs referred 
to by Jesus in his denunciation of the hypocritical Pharisees 
(Matt. 23 ch., 23; Luke IT ch., 42), “Woe unto you, Pharisees! 
for ye tithe mint and rue, and all manner of herbs, and«pass 
over judgment and the law of God.” The tithe was a sort of 
tax amounting to one-tenth of the article taxed. The law did 
not require a tithe of these herbs and the denunciation was of 
the sham punctiliousness of those who voluntarily paid on small 
things of no particular value such as “cummin and rue,” but 
neglected the important duties of humanity, as in the case of 
the Pharisees in Luke 18 ch., 12. 
Fitches. A small annual, Nigella sativa, grown for the 
sake of its seeds which were ground and used as a flavouring 
agent or condiment, as in making bread (Hzek. 4 ch., 9). Isa. 
28 ch., 27, “the fitches are beaten out with a staff,” refers to 
the method of separating the seed. The prophet’s references 
to the different methods of preparing the various grains, by 
beating, threshing and bruising, are a symbolical allusion to 
the various modes in which God corrects his people. 
Manna. A lichen (Leconora esculenta) which at times is 
extremely abundant in the desert regions of Sinai and is blown 
