BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 107 
cipal curiosities are some aged trees, particularly Magnolia 
grandiflora, Platanus orientalis, some Crategi, a. very fine 
Lagerstroemia Indica, and a Quercus coccifera about thirty feet 
high, with a stem a foot in diameter. In the south of France, 
where this species of Quercus is the most common of shrubs, 
I never met with it half so high. Visiani’s assistant is a 
young Paduan, named Meneghini, who lately published a - 
memoir on the structure of the stem in the monocotyledonous 
plants. 
* We are about to quit Venice for Trieste immediately, and - 
shall there make an excursion to Lippiza, and in the middle 
of next week, set off on a tour in Istria, from which I have 
great hopes of success, especially as to Monte Maggiore, 
between Pola and Fiume. . Tommasini goes with me, and in 
other respects, I have every facility afforded me by the autho- 
_ tities. Prince Metternich, from whom, as well as from the 
Princess, we experienced much attention and kindness during 
our stay at Vienna, has given us letters for the provincial 
governors, and we trust that these will prove of some avail, 
in a country where the accommodations are so wretched as 
in Istria. On our return from Istria to Trieste, we mean to 
take Górz and Tolmeia, and thence to Villach in Carinthia, 
and Sienz in south Tyrol, coming to the Italian side by the 
Cadore road, and then by Belluno and Vicenza to Verona. 
I hope to ascend some of the interesting and little known 
Carinthian and Trient Alps." 
* Eaux Bonnes, August, 1839. | 
“ Before leaving this place, perhaps the best station for - 
Botany among these interesting mountains, (the Pyrénées,) - 
Tam anxious to let you know that though pursuits of another 
kind were my chief object in coming here, I have yet not - 
neglected my favourite occupation, but have had an eye to 
Botany during my whole route from England. From Dieppe, . D 
at which place we landed, to Bordeaux, we passed through _ 
an interesting, and for the most part a very. pretty country, — 
though not one of importance to the Botanist, unless he dili- a 
