96 



at night during the „wintef" months, although even at this 

 elevation to see a layer of snow in the morning is rare, 

 and in any event, snow never has the opportunity of laying 

 as even in the coldest months, for it can be quite hot 

 towards midday. Only higher up in the front ranges of the 

 Cordilleras de Mendoza the snow lays for longer periods in 

 the very coldest months. 



The air is exceedingly dry and arid, the consequence 

 of which is a very sound climate, the real only inconvenience 

 being caused by the sudden change of temperature, and by 

 the light, fine Argentine dust that so easily rises, especially 

 when the dreaded „pamperos" rage over the district. 



In the lowlands, or rather the flat lower laying districts, 

 east of the Cordilleras, the ground is composed of alluvial 

 strata of an ash grey, finely powdered, clay soil, which 

 bears a rieh bush Vegetation, the grey colour of which to- 

 gether with their adaption to the climate point to an almost 

 prehistoric desert Vegetation. A great quantity of the plants, 

 quite apart from the cactus, are here thorny and spiky, 

 the Spanish name „espinales" thus suiting the district 

 admirably; another generally used name for the district is 

 the „Channar Region" being taken from the predominating 

 plant, the channar tree (Gourliea decorticans). Even the grass 

 fruits are often prickly, and also in a Single instance me- 

 canical fly Catchers. Many of the plants here are very aro- 

 matic or contain quantities of resin or oil. The leguminous 

 plant (Gourliea decorticans) mentioned above, the yellow 

 flowers of which are generally visited by bees and other 

 insects, together with the Acacia and cactus etc., all of 

 which are visited by various Apidce, only give the Entomo- 

 logist a poor result, as it is almost impossible for the 

 collector, by means of their thorns, to come to them, or 

 more correctly said the collector's net. On the other band, 

 however, the beautiful litde Hojfmanseggia falcaria, which 

 is without thorns, is a real gold mine for all, who will 

 collect Apidce, but this I shall speak about later. Yellow 

 flowering Papilionacea and yellow or white flowering. 



