5(5 Information respecting Botanical Travellers. 



circle and behind the anus there is a small but distinct orifice 

 of a deep red colour. 



This description is taken from a single specimen, the only 

 one I ever sav* . and it is probable that the colour may vary in 

 different individuals. It seemed fond of swimming in a re- 

 versed position; and evacuated some small pellets of a bright 

 red colour while in confinement, but it was not ascertained 

 whether these came from the vent or the adjoining excremental 

 orifice. 



[To be continued] 



VII. — Information respecting Botanical Travellers. 



Letters have lately been received from Mr. Cuming, (so well known 

 by his splendid South American collections of Natural History,) dated 

 Manilla, Dec. 24, 1836; from Dr. Schomburgh, dated New Amster- 

 dam, Berbice, April 8th, 1837, Demerara, August 8th, 1837 ; from 

 Mr. Gardner, dated Organ Mountains, Brazil, April 5th, 1837. 



Mr. Cuming had reached Manilla in July of last year, just as the 

 rainy season had set in, when he was unable to make any excursions 

 until the end of September. He then left Manilla for the Hacienda 

 of Calaguan in the centre of Luyon, where he remained until the 

 15th of December, visiting and exploring the woods and mountains 

 in the neighbourhood, and then returned to Manilla with his collec- 

 tions. These consist of about 1150 species found in the island of 

 Luyon ; and of these nearly one-tenth are ferns of the most varied 

 and beautiful forms ; two of them are tree-ferns ; and one he de- 

 scribes as constituting a shrub, throwing out branches like the fir ; 

 and with the exception of a few, they were all found in fructifica- 

 tion. He secured about 60 species of Orchidcce, of which the greater 

 part were not in flower ; many species of Mosses, and 1 25 Fungi. 

 Many trees afforded specimens with splendid inflorescences, some 

 blossoming twice in the year ; but others flower principally in March, 

 April and May, and could not be collected in a satisfactory state at 

 a later season. Without having then visited the coast, he had col- 

 lected no less than 250 kinds of Shells, and a proportionate number 

 of Insects, Reptiles, Crustacea?, &c. 



His reception from the Government (which hitherto had been so 

 jealous of foreigners visiting their country, that I know of no natu- 

 ralist who had ever penetrated into the interior of the island except 



