58 Information respecting Botanical Travellers, 



are undescribed by Sprengel. Among the most remarkable is a very 

 fine Osmunda, and a curious bipinnate species, with a habit corre- 

 sponding to that of Lygodium, but the fructification of a Blechnum. 

 I have met with a few Fungi, but have not collected any. Agaricus 

 campestris is very abundant just now on the pastures of this estate. 



'! Among my recent discoveries are two most beautiful species of 

 Cattleya, both of them, I believe, new. A single living plant of each 

 was all I could secure ; but I dried and preserved in spirits some of 

 the blossoms. 



" Your obliging suggestions as to my future movements have met 

 with my best attention ; but I am yet undecided what plan to pur- 

 sue. Since receiving your letter, my opportunities of obtaining in- 

 formation respecting the route to Goyaz have been very small ; and 

 all I have heard is, that the journey would occupy several months, 

 and be attended with heavy expense. From our mutual friend, Dr. 

 Loudon, I had a letter a few days since, containing a most pressing 

 invitation to visit him in that province ; and as Von Martius seems 

 to consider the interior from thence as a good botanical field, I feel 

 inclined to proceed thither when quitting Rio, as from the immediate 

 vicinity of Pernambuco much might be obtained, which could not 

 fail to prove acceptable to my subscribers, whether for living or dried 

 plants. After spending four or five months there, it would be time 

 to think of exploring the interior. But although I may remain in 

 Brazil two or three years more, I shall not resign the idea of a trip 

 across the Pampas and Andes to Chili. On all these points you 

 shall hear further when I have the honour to write, along with my 

 Organ Mountain collections. 



" Ever since Christmas day I have been residing at this Fazenda ; 

 and when my stay is completed, which will be in a month, I hope 

 to send home 400 or 500 species. I now enclose in a box contain- 

 ing insects, two capsules of a species of Talauma. This is a grand 

 and handsome tree of frequent occurrence in this vicinity, which 

 bears abundance of large yellowish white, highly fragrant flowers. 

 I arrived just in time to secure a few specimens, which I succeeded, 

 after much trouble, in drying. This spot is at an elevation of 3100 

 feet above the level of the sea ; but the highest peak of the Organ 

 Mountains attains twice that altitude. It has never yet been as- 

 cended ; but I hope this will not continue to be the case, as the En- 

 glish clergyman at Rio projects an excursion to the summit next 

 week, and kindly permits me to accompany him. We expect to be 

 absent at least three days and two nights ; and since many miles of 

 the route lie through a dense virgin forest, where it will be neces- 



