ORIGINAL COMMUNICATIONS. 



XXVI.^ — Contributions to a History of the Relation heiioeen 

 Climate and Vegetation in various parts of the Globe. 



No. 8. — The Vef/etatiofi of the Diamond and Gold districts, 

 in the Province of Minas Gcraes, in Brazil. By George 

 C4ardner, F.L.S., Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, 

 Ceylon. 



After crossing the head waters of the Rio Carynlienha, a small 

 river which divides the provinces of Pernambuco and Minas 

 Geraes from each other, we traversed the arid and uninliabited 

 Serra das Araras, and following eastward the course of the Rio 

 Urucuya, we reached the Villa de San Romao, wliich is situated 

 on the west bank of the great Rio de San Francisco. After 

 crossing the Serra Geral, and gaining tlie low country to the 

 east of it, we found that its general character was very similar 

 to that on the west. The trees consisted of the Caratella Catn- 

 baiba, St. Ilil., Salvcrtia convallariodora, St. IliL, two species 

 of arboreous Bignonia, with yellow flowers, a Commilohium, 

 a fine Gerascantlacs, a Bombax, and a simple leaved Rhopala. 

 About a fortnight was spent in San Romao, to recruit both our- 

 selves and the horses ; and in packing up my Goyaz collections, 

 amounting to upwards of 1400 species. The country around the 

 villa was too much burned up by tlie drought to aflbrd much 

 scope for botanizing, nevertheless several new things were ob- 

 tained. Another journey of about a month brought us to tlie 

 Cidade Diamantina, the capital of the Diamond district. The 

 flat country which lies between the high mountains of this tract 

 and the Rio de Sail Francisco is arid in the extreme ; nmch of 

 it, particularly in the dry season, being little better than a 

 desert. Indeed, the name given to it, and to all others of a 

 similar nature by the Brazilians, viz. Sertad, means a desert. 

 It is of an undulating nature, intersected by a few low mountain 

 ranges, and for tlie most part covered with Catinga forests, and 

 occasional marshy Campos containing a few large Buriti Palms. 

 The more elevated of the Campos are dry, and have a few small 

 trees scattered upon them. It was the height of the dry season 

 when we passed through this dreary tract, suffering by day from 

 a burning sun, and by night from the attacks of a species of 

 tick, which had indeed annoyed us ever since we left Arrayas. 

 They exist everywhere among the herbage and bushes, clustered 

 together in little balls, ready to fall upon the first person or 

 animal that passes. They fix themselves by their proboscis to 



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