Information respecting Botanical Travellers. 6 J 



attempts to preserve were fruitless ; it is, however, among my draw- 

 ings. No less interesting are three new species of Podostemea, of 

 which my first subscribers will receive specimens. I am just occu- 

 pied in arranging my plants, and must acknowledge with what dis- 

 tress I see the damage which the moisture has caused them, in spite 

 of the chests being tinned inside. Nothing can effectually guard 

 against this evil, and it is needless to complain. I had taken every 

 precaution, and exposed the boxes to the sun whenever there was an 

 opportunity ; though, sad to say ! a sunbeam did not occur above 

 four or five times during the whole two months of my journey. 



" There is little doubt that my steps will next be turned to the 

 mountains near the equator. In my ascent of the Essequibo I may 

 meet with many of the plants I found before, and I shall be obliged 

 by^our pointing out to me such among them as you deem worthy 

 to be drawn and described on the spot. 



" I have been very unfortunate with my entomological collections ; 

 they fared worse even than the plants. The wreck of those collected 

 in my last expedition were sent to the Entomological Society, while 

 those which I got together during the Berbice and Conrantine trip 

 were, with the exception of a very few, completely ruined by the 

 corial being swamped ; when, unfortunately, in the agitation of the 

 moment, the box was neglected to be secured. I hope to be less 

 unlucky another time. I had almost forgotten to mention that I 

 have three Cacti for Woburn : a number of seeds of Palms, and other 

 plants shall accompany them. It will probably be necessary to send 

 these things via Demerara, where I shall be in the commencement of 

 May, as there is no communication from Berbice to Glasgow and 

 iv rpoo . (( Robert H. Schomburgh." 



Since the above extracts were penned for publication, much valu- 

 able information has been given at the late meeting of the British 

 Association at Liverpool respecting the splendid Nymphaeaceous 

 plant discovered by Dr. Schomburgh in the river Berbice. A new 

 genus has been formed of it, which has been dedicated to our young 

 queen. It is the Nymphtea Victoria of its discoverer; Victoria Re- 

 gina of Mr. Gray ; Victoria regia of Dr. Lindley, who has done am- 

 ple justice to Dr. Schomburgh' s. drawings by having it engraved on 

 an imperial atlas size, at his own expense, and accompanied by a 

 description for private distribution. It detracts nothing from Dr. 

 Schomburgh's merits, if it be really the case,, as stated in some of 

 the foreign Journals, that the same plant was also found by Dr. Pop- 

 pig in the Amazon river, and named Euryale Amazonica ; a genus 



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