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of our forest-trees called in all its energies during the period 

 M'hen it was engaged in the perfecting of its fruit. 



A mile or two farther on, we came to a level tract, which a 

 few years ago had suffered from the ravages of fire. It is 

 now covered with a rich sward of Guinea- grass {Paniciim 

 jiimentorum) ; for it is a remarkable circumstance, that fire, 

 while it destroys all other vegetable substances, spares the 

 seed of this plant, so that it springs up on the first rains, and 

 clothes the whole land with a rich mantle of verdure. Fire 

 is, indeed, the agent usually employed by the inhabitants in 

 clearing their grass -pieces, destroying every other plant, 

 with the exception of this salamander-like exotic. Here and 

 there, among the grass, the TLhonrj [Brya Ehenus) might be 

 seen rising, covered profusely' with its flame-coloured blos- 

 soms. Among the more common plants were the Indigofera 

 Anil and /. tinctoria ; the different Broom-weeds, such as the 

 Waltheria and Melochia pyramidata ; as also Sida althm- 

 folia, Croton pennicillatum, &c. Thousands of the West Indian 

 Ortolan {Motacilla Trochilus) were observed among the tall 

 grass, feeding on its seed. 



Passing over this tract, we entered again upon a piece of 

 woodland. We here also found the outskirts covered with 

 the twining syngenesious plants, and the Convolvuli, formerly 

 noticed. The Croton Cascarilla, a medicinal plant, is here 

 frequent, as also the Snowherry, [Chiococcus racemosa,) and 

 the Galea jamaicensis. A singular myrtle-leaved plant, pro- 

 bably a species of Loranthus, was very common, bearing at 

 this season of the year its snowy, compound, 2-seeded berries. 

 The Cockspiir [Pisonia acideata) was just coming into flower, 

 hanging down its long trailing branches, interlaced with 

 those of the Achyranthes altissima, and the Rivina octandra. 

 The Cassia viminea, supporting itself on the neighbouring 

 shrubs, had shed its last flowers, and the pods were forming. 

 Here also the Mountain Ebony {Bauhinia porrecta) displayed 

 its showy variegated blossoms. Together with it grew the 

 Acacia leucocepliala, and the Cestrum vespertinum, with its 

 lurid flowers. In this place, a number of our West Indian 

 Timber-trees were to be observed ; such as the Wild Ta7narind, 



