SHORT ON WESTERN BOTANY. 117 



until the winter, and although his labours were greatly inter- 

 rupted by an attack of fever and consequent bad health, he 

 made very extensive collections of plants, shells, and Zoologi- 

 cal specimens. 



During the following spring and summer, Mr Drum- 

 niond explored the neighbourhood of New Orleans with his 

 accustomed zeal, and thrice examined the opposite shore of 

 Lake Ponchatrain. From this he extended his travels 

 into the neighbouring Southern States, where amidst many 

 dangers, and notwithstanding the severest attacks of fever 

 and cholera, he amassed a collection of one thousand species 

 of plants. 



Mr Drummond next visited Texas, from the floral riches 

 of which El Dorado of the botanist, he promised himself a 

 rich reward, nor was he disappointed. For although his 

 visit to that country was ill-timed, in consequence of the un- 

 precedented wetness of the season (1833-4), its consequent 

 unhealthiness, and the unsettled position of its political 

 affairs ; still he made very extensive collections, among which 

 Were many new and beautiful plants. Of these, a number 

 have been introduced to the gardens of Great Britain, and 

 several have been figured and described in The Botanical 

 Magazine; whilst in the Companion to that work a general 

 account has been given of the labours oi Mr Drummond in 

 the Southern and Western States, by his friend and patron 

 Sir William Hooker. 



It appears from some of his last letters to his friends in 

 Scotland, that Mr Drummond had determined upon a per- 

 ttianent settlement in Texas; and to this end had made 

 arrangements for returning home to remove his family. 

 Desirous, however, of still further extending his knowledge, 

 ^nd increasing his collections, he touched at Havana on 

 his way homeward : he was there soon seized with fever, of 

 ^^'hich he died, in the fall of IS34. Deeply has science to 

 deplore the martyrdom of this intrepid traveller and inde- 

 fatigable collector : had he lived, much would doubtless have 

 been effected by him, in making known the vegetable trea- 



