84 proceedings: botanical society 



water, also a curved north and south water passage from the strait of 

 Belle Isle to that of Cabot, dividing the land mass in two and leaving 

 Newfoundland cut off in front, also the true position of islands, moved 

 unduly far toward Europe on the mediaeval maps; also the three present 

 Brazils — that in South America, dating from soon after 1500; that in 

 Terceira of the Azores, from before 1351 ; and the still surviving tradition 

 of the West-Irish peasantry of a great Brazil west of them, which goes 

 back on the maps to 1325 and as a man's name beyond history. 



The maps of Dalorta 1325, Dulcert 1339, the Atlante Mediceo 1351, 

 the Pizigani 1367. the Catalan Atlas 1375, Pinelh 1384, Giraldi 1426, 

 Beccaria 1435, Bianco 1448, a fifteenth century map, perhaps 1480, 

 copied by Nordenskjold, Prunes 1553 and others were given to show the 

 persistency of the tradition among geographers as to form and latitude. 

 The Catalan map* and another also show the island as including a sheet 

 of water containing islands. The map copied l)y Nordenskjold and that 

 of Prunes are instances of the island divided by the curved north and 

 south channel. The former of these two shows also a second Brazil 

 below Ilia Verde, recognized as Greenland, which must mean Labrador, 

 or Newfoundland or the region including them. 



It is no doubt (like Bianco's map above) an instance of retaining two 

 traditions in one showing. Sylvanus 1511, Cantino 1502, an anonymous 

 Portuguese map 1502, and Schoner 1520 were presented as instances of 

 bringing this region eastward on the maps and comparatively near to 

 Ireland; Nicolay 1560 and Zaltieri 1566, as instances of shifting Brazil 

 on the maps over into Newfoundland waters after the width of the At- 

 lantic had become well known. Coppo, 1528, was given as an instance of 

 American land masses interpreted as islands — especially Greenland, 

 called Isola Verde. The Pizigani map records pictorially a disastrous 

 Breton expedition to some region southwest of the circular Brazil and 

 bearing the same name. 



Outside of Ireland the word is first found in the expression "grana de 

 Bresile"^ — grain of Brazil — of a list of commodities embodied in a com- 

 mercial treaty dated 1193 between Ferrara and one of her Itahan neigh- 

 bors. In Ireland "Brazil" or "Breasail" is very ancient, having been 

 borne by a prehistoric celebrity and a sixth century saint. 



This latter fact and the correspondence in direction and geographical 

 features of the North American region in question with the mediaeval 

 map-island of Brazil make the suggestion of some very early visit to 

 America by some one who spoke Irish well worthy of consideration. 



Daniel Folkmar, Secretary. 



THE BOTANICAL SOCIETY 



The 93d regular meeting of the Botanical Society of Washington was 

 held at the Cosmos Club, Tuesday, January 6, 1914, ^vith 42 members 

 and 5 guests present. 



Application for membership of Messrs. H. Pittier, Arno Viehoever, 

 and Raymond B. Wilcox were read. Messrs. Charles Thom, Charles 

 S. Ridgway, George D. Clark, Clarence W. Carpenter, William A. Day- 

 ton, Orlo A. Pratt, and Nathan R. Smith were elected to membership. 



