Feb. 1894.] BOT.^'ICAL SOCIETY OF EDINBURGH. 10-3 



ascended the Eio Negro, Cassiquiari, and Orinoco ; exploring 

 and mapping the Eiver Cunucuniima, a tributary of the 

 Orinoco, and the Eiver Pacimoni, which flows into the 

 Cassiquiari. The maps of these three rivers were made by 

 means of cross-bearings and astronomical observations, and 

 will form an important addition to geographical knowledge. 

 During the years 1855 and 1856, Mr. Spruce ascended the 

 Eiver Huallaga, and in 1857 he successfully surmounted 

 all the difficulties of the navigation of the Elvers Pastasa 

 and Bombonasa, and reached the Andes of Quito. He 

 has since been engaged in exploring the southern part of 

 the republic of Ecuador, and during 1860 he was employed 

 by the Secretary of State for India, in co-operation with 

 Mr. Clements Markham, in collecting chinchona plants and 

 seeds in the forests at the foot of the mountain of Chim- 

 borazo. After fifteen years of such incessant toil in the 

 cause of science, exposed to innumerable dangers and 

 privations, the health of Mr. Spruce has been much 

 impaired. . . ." 



In consideration of this work Dr. Spruce was elected an 

 Honorary Fellow of the Eoyal Geographical Society in 

 1866. 



An equally authoritative summary of his botanical 

 work was given by Mr. Bentham, President of the Linnean 

 Society, who worked up and distributed his Phanerogams, 

 as follows : — " His researches into the vegetation of the 

 interior of South America have been the most important 

 we have had since the days of Humboldt, not merely for 

 the number of species which he has collected (amounting 

 to upwards of 7000), but also for the number of new 

 generic forms with which he has enriched science ; for his 

 investigation into the economic uses of the plants of the 

 countries he visited ; for several doubtful questions of 

 origin as to interesting genera and species which his dis- 

 coveries have cleared up ; and for the number and scientific 

 value of his observations, made on the spot, attached to the 

 specimens preserved, all which specimens have been trans- 

 mitted to this country, and complete sets deposited in the 

 National Herbarium at Kew." 



It was whilst preparing to enter the forests of red-bark 

 {Cinchona succiriihra), at the west foot of Chimborazo, that 



