CHAP. 10. (5.)—THE TREES OF SYRIA: THE PISTACIA, THE COT-
TANA, THE DAMASCENA, AND THE MYXA.
In addition to the palm, Syria has several trees that are pe-
culiar to itself. Among the nut-trees there is the pistacia, [Note]
well known among us. It is said that, taken either in food or
drink, the kernel of this nut is a specific against the bite of
serpents. Among figs, too, there are those known as "ca-
ricæ," [Note] together with some smaller ones of a similar kind,
the name of which is "cottana." There is a plum, too, which
grows upon Mount Damascus, [Note] as also that known as the
"myxa;" [Note] these last two are, however, now naturalized in
Italy. In Egypt, too, they make a kind of wine from the myxa.
