MR. weir's jouenal. 569 



m 



Dec, lith, — Examined some of the low hills a few lea;!ues to 

 the south-west of the village. Their higher parts are bare and 

 sterile; a rotten quartz rock in man}' j)laces peeps through the 

 scanty soil ; but their lower parts and the vallej^s between theui. 

 are fertile, wooded, and, as I have already mentioed, are some- 

 times planted with coffee. On the higher parts of these hills I 

 collected specimens of No. 114, a small raelastomaceous shrub, 

 with yellow flowers ; No. 115, a small malvaceous species {Pavonia 

 sp.); No. 116, a small species of Celastnis which is found 

 scattered over the hills; No. 117 (Taheiimmontana sp.), 

 another tree from the barest parts, where there is scarcely any 

 soil. This tree grows to a height of about 30 feet; it bears a 

 fruit called the '\mangaba "by the people here, and much used 

 bj them for making a sort of conserve. By wounding the trunk 

 or branches of this tree is obtained, in considerable abundance, a 

 white scentless juice, which coagulates into an elastic gum like 

 India rubber. I am informed by a person here' that this juice 

 may be kept in a liquid state for any length of time by keeping 

 it from the air, and may instantaneously be changed into elastic 

 gum by the application of alcohol. 



Disagreeable day ; thunder and rain. 



Dec. 16tJi, — To-day, in the campo about two leagues from the 

 village, I found No. 118 {Dij)ladenia sp.). The root of this is 

 large, fleshy, and fusiform, producing from its crown one or more 

 stems about a foot in height, each bearing from three to six' large 

 handsome crimson flowers. Collected also specimens of No. 119 

 {Dipladeaia &p.\ a herbaceous plant, from the dry campo, and 

 of No. 120, a small tree with pink flowers, belonging to the Nat. 

 Ord. MalpigJiiacece. Thunder and rain again in the afternoon, 



Dec. Wtfi. — This being a very wet day, I have employed my- 

 self within doors all day. 



Dec, \lth. — AYet morning; cleared up about mid-day. Started 

 in the afternoon for the river, where I intend to stay for a few 

 days, to examine its margins and the woods adjoining it below 

 the Salto. Had just time before dark to go and see the Salto, or 

 Fall of Itu, The river rushes with a single leap over a pre- 

 cipitous wall of granite, about 30 or 35 feet in height. The fall 

 is pretty, but there is a great want of accessional scenery, the 

 ground sloping away on both sides of the river with most 

 uniuterestin;? cfentleness. 



On the blocks of granite and trees near the fall No. V2\ grows 

 plentifully, and is now in full bloom. It is a Catfleya, perhaps 



