Miscellaneous. 77 



The specimens of Vertebrata, chiefly Reptiles, are far less numerous 

 than those of the Invertebrata ; and have been presented, together 

 with the specimens of North American rocks and fossils, by Dr. 

 Scherzer to the scientific establishments of the Austrian Empire, d^ 

 to persons making them objects of special study. 



The collections made by these indefatigable travellers are at least 

 suflicient to represent the essential characters of the Central American 

 fauna and flora which have been hitherto scarcely known. These 

 researches, having been pursued on the opposite sides of the Cor- 

 dilleras and along the coasts of both oceans, are highly valuable with 

 reference to the geographical distribution of organized beings ; and 

 the result proves that the ridge of the Andes is an effectual barrier 

 to the diff'usion of animals endowed with a small amount of loco- 

 motive power, especially the terrestrial molluscs, the insects, and the 

 Arachnides. 



The range of the travellers, who sometimes pursued different 

 courses for the sake of completing the object of their journey, ex- 

 tends from 50° to 9" N. lat. : from the uniform and gloomy scenery 

 about the mouth of the St. Lawrence, in Canada, to the virgin forests 

 of the Andes, south of Costa Rica, luxuriant in the richest variety of 

 animal and vegetable life. At Belize they embarked for the West 

 Indies, and visited Jamaica, Hayti, St. Thomas, and Cuba. The 

 vegetation of these isles, although strikingly luxuriant and graceful 

 in some localities (as the Blue Mountains, in Jamaica, and the central 

 mountain-valleys of St. Domingo), is far from rivalling in grandeur 

 the Centro-American flora, as it wants the lofty and magnificent 

 trees and the variety of parasitical and climbing plants characteristic 

 of the forests of Central America. On the other hand, the tropical 

 features of the scenery of the Antilles is in beautiful contrast with 

 the gloomy uniformity of the North American vegetation ; and a 

 traveller, landing at Cuba, after having left Quebec eight days before, 

 may well be struck by the change of scene. \ !'; 



As a general rule, it appears that the level of iihe highest deve- 

 lopment of vegetable life gradually rises from the ground-level from 

 the poles to the equator. In tropical America the most magnificent 

 flowers are those on the tops of high trees, and on the plants climbing 

 on them. In the temperate zone the shrubs are richer in blossoms 

 than the other vegetable forms ; and from 46° lat. northwards the 

 great variety of flowers is concentrated in the meadows. 



MM. Scherzer and Wagner, besides the observation of physical 

 facts and the collection of specimens, paid particular attention to the 

 status of the West Indian Colonies, their oeconomical relations, and 

 their population. 



Dr. Scherzer has already published his remarks on North America 

 (in three vols.), and on Central America (in one vol.) ; he is far, 

 however, from regarding the object of his researches as exhausted, as 

 he and his companion went through the whole of their enterprise 

 at their own expense, and consequently with limited resources (ex- 

 cepting the excursion to the ruins of Guirigua, in Guatemala, which 

 was undertaken at the cost of the British Government). 



