Yopon (_I. Cassine_ Linn.).--An elegant shrub, 10 to 15 feet high, but sometimes rising into a small tree of 20 to 25 feet. Its native place is near to salt water, and it is found from Virginia southward, but never far in the interior. Its dark evergreen leaves and bright red berries make it very ornamental in yards and shrubberies. The leaves are small, ½ to 1 inch long, very smooth, and evenly scalloped on the edges, with small rounded teeth. In some sections of the lower district, especially in the region of the Dismal Swamp, these are annually dried and used for tea, which is, however, oppressively sudorific--at least, to one not accustomed to it. The maté, or Paraguay tea, of South America, is of the same genus as this, but a very different species. Our yopon is the article from which the famous black drink of the Southern Indians was made. At a certain time of the year they come down in droves from a distance of some hundred miles to the coast for the leaves of this tree. They make a fire on the ground, and putting a great kettle of water on it, they throw in a large quantity of these leaves, and, seating themselves around the fire, from a bowl that holds about a pint they begin drinking large draughts, which in a short time occasion them to vomit freely and easily. Thus they continue drinking and vomiting for the space of 2 or 3 days, until they have sufficiently cleansed themselves; and then, every one taking a bundle of the tree, they all retire to their habitations. ETYMOLOGY OF THE NAMES “DAHOON,” “CASSINE,” AND “YOUPON.” I have been at some pains to ascertain the correct etymology of these names. Dr. Albert S. Gatschet, of the Bureau of Ethnology, at Washington, D. C., one of the best authorities, writes me as follows: According to Lawson there are two or three sorts of youpon. The Indians of South Carolina call it “cassina.” It grows on sand banks and islands near the sea. (Used by the North Carolina Indians for tea.) It is written _cassena_. From Mutter it would appear that the cassine are chiefly African plants, nor do I think that the name is Indian. I find no word in Katawba corresponding to the word “dahoon.” I saw here in the Botanical Garden a shrub from North Carolina called _Ilex vomitoria_, undoubtedly the _Assi shrub_. “Assi” is only an abbreviation of _Assi lupub’ski_ (Creek), “small leaves.” The Shetimasha term was _no’ut_ (Ch. C. Jones). Tomochichi calls it “foskey,” probably Yamassi, a dialect of the Creek. W. R. Gerard, of New York, an eminent philologist, writes me: