MR. weir's journal. 581 



wooded, and lying in its bottom are many large fragments of rock 

 ■which from time to time have fallen from the craggy steep above. 

 Among these stones, and in the leaf mould accumulated about 

 them, I found a curious species of terrestrial Orchid, somewhat 

 like one of the species I found in the Serra near Belem. The 

 leaves are longitudinally banded, with broadish silvery strips 

 running all the way from the base to the apex. This, with two 

 species of Pathos, both with silvery markings on their leaves, 

 were the only things of interest I met with. I saw nothing in 

 flower. Returning by the ordinary road up the Serra, I had to 

 cross a part of the campo at its foot. Here I collected specimens 

 of No- 148, a fine herbaceous plant, with white flowers (Platonia 

 5p.), growing about 1|- foot high, 



Jan. 1th. — Examined some more of the Serra to-day, but in 

 a part more open than the gulley I was in yesterday. Of the 

 following species I collected specimens: — No. 149, a blue flow- 

 ered Convolvulus ; No. 150, a tree Mimosa, I have often met 

 with this before, but not in flower* No. 151, a small melastoma- 

 ceous species, from wet places at foot of Serra; and No. 153, a 

 beautiful Bignonia, with large yellow flowers. This I found in 

 thickets of stunted trees at the foot of the Serra. This species 

 has a half trailing habit, and is an abundant bloomer. Thunder 

 in the afternoon. 



Jan. 8th, — Made another excursion in the campo to-day ; col- 

 lected No. 153, a dwarf Tpomcea, with lilac flowers; No. 154, a 

 small melastomaceous shrub, 1 to 1-|- foot high, with beautiful 

 rosy purple flowers. It grows in wet boggy places. No. 155, a 

 shrubby species of Vaccinium, 5 to 6 feet high, with scarlet 

 flowers, which are, however, but sparingly produced. This species 

 also grows in boggy places. No 156, a Mimosa, from the dry 

 campo. No 157 [Vochya sp.), a small tree; No. 158 [Smilax 

 sp.), a trailing shrub; and No. 159 [Aspicarpa sp.), all from 

 the dry campo. Thunder with lieavy showers of rain during the 

 afternoon. 



Jan, Qth. — A mile and a half or two miles from the base of 

 the Serra, and quite disconnected from it, are two curious hills, 

 rising from the surrounding plain to the height of perhaps 700 

 feet, or nearly the height of the Serra. One of them is of a 

 circular conical form, the other in the form of an oblong ridge. 

 They are both composed of the same rock as the neighbouring 

 Serra, and present the same precipitous appearance in the greater 

 part of their circumference; there are places, however, where 



