Maranta are all American, and were discovered there in cultivation by the early European navigators. The manioc is now largely cultivated throughout the whole of the tropical world. On the west coast of Africa, where it is called cassava, the starch, called tapioca, obtained from it is largely used by the natives. Livingstone,* “Travels in South Africa.” Dr. D. Livingstone. in his journey to Loanda, noticing the prevalence of weak sight amongst the inhabitants, attributed it to a too general use of this food; but starch does not seem to have been anciently used by the peoples of Africa, for Speke,† “Journal of Discovery of the Source of the Nile.” J. H. Speke. Elton,‡ “Travels among African Lakes and Mountains.” Elton and Cotterill. and Stanley§ “Through the Dark Continent.” H. M. Stanley. make no mention of it, even in countries where the cassava is at present abundantly cultivated. The importance of dried starch to a people who were not in possession of any of the cereals, as an article of food that might be stored, is obvious. Whether its general use by the ancient Americans and the Malayo-Polynesian peoples bespeaks a connection, or was merely indicative of a primitive condition of the agricultural art, we are not in a position to decide. Tahiti Chestnut (Inocarpus edulis).—In the islands eastward of New Guinea this tree seems constantly to have been planted by the natives. The Rev. Dr. Gill∥ “Life in the Southern Isles.” Rev. Wyatt Gill. mentions that one was pointed out to him on the Island of Vaitupu, one of the Ellice Group, as having been planted by the first natives who arrived from Samoa; but whether it was an indigenous species or introduced by man he does not say, though probably, as Vaitupu is a mere coral island, the latter was the case. As far as I am aware, the chestnut did not find its way into the Malay Islands in ancient times; and this seems to be the case with regard to all the plants brought into cultivation in the eastern islands of the great chain. Probably the productions of the larger masses of land that constitute the Malay Islands were much superior or better fitted for the use of man Another species belonging to the same order as the chestnut, the Mimusops kauki, produces a fruit which Dr. Gill says is very largely used as food by the natives of southern New Guinea; but this tree also seems to have remained confined to its original habitat. All the species of this order, regarded by De Candolle as cultivated plants, belong to the American Continent, and were brought into use by the ancient inhabitants of the regions in which they are found. As their culture has not much extended since they became known to Europeans, we can only conclude that the fruits they produce are