a genus of the decandria order, belonging to the diadelphia class of plants. There are two species, viz. 1. The erythrina, or dog-wood tree. This grows plentifully in Jamaica, where it rises to the height of 25 feet or more; the stem is almost as large as a man’s body, covered with a light-coloured smooth bark, and sending out several branches at the top without order; the leaves are about two inches long, winged, with oval lobes. The flowers are of the butterfly kind, and of a dirty white colour; they are succeeded by oblong pods, with four longitudinal wings, and jointed between the cells which contain the seeds.

2. The Carthaginensis, with oblong oval leaves, is also a native of the West Indies. It differs from the former only in the shape and consistence of the leaves, which are more oblong and stiffer; but in other respects they are very similar. Both species are easily propagated by seeds; but require artificial heat to preserve them in this country.—The negroes in the West Indies make use of the bark of the first species to intoxicate fish. When any number of gentlemen have an inclination to divert themselves with fishing, or, more properly speaking, with fish-hunting, they send each of them a negro-slave to the woods, in order to fetch some of the bark of the dog-wood tree. This bark is next morning pounded very small with stones, put into old sacks, carried into rocky parts of the sea, steeped till thoroughly soaked with salt-water, and then well squeezed by the negroes to express the juice. This juice immediately colours the sea with a reddish hue; and, being of a poisonous nature, will in an hour’s time make the fishes, such as groopers, rock-fish, old wives, Welchmen, &c. so drunk or intoxicated, as to swim on the surface of the water, quite heedless of the danger: the gentlemen then send in their negroes, who pursue, both swimming and diving, the poor inebriated fishes, till they catch them with their hands; their masters in mean time standing by, on high rocks, to see the pastime.

It is remarkable, that though this poison kills millions of the small fry, it has never been known to impart any bad quality to the fish which have been caught in consequence of the intoxication.

The wood of this tree, although pretty hard, is only fit for fuel; and even for this purpose the negroes very seldom, if ever, employ it, on account of its singular quality just mentioned. The bark is rough, brown, and thick; the tree sends forth a considerable number of branches, and is well clothed with leaves, which resemble those of the pea, are thick, cottony, and of a deep green. The bark used for the above-mentioned purpose is chiefly that of the roots.