100 Col. R. Wright's Meteorological Obsetvations made 



ingly, and the Indians of the lowlands, who are accustomed 

 to the chace of the wild hog, bring dogs for the purpose from 

 the mountains, where, though the Spaniards are by no means 

 curious in this particular, a strong species of greyhound, more 

 or less degenerated, is to be met with, and is used in the high- 

 lands for stag-hunting. 



The influence of temperature, and consequently of local 

 elevation, on vegetable life, was first examined in Colombia 

 by a native of Bogota, the unfortunate and illustrious D. Jose 

 Caldas, who fell a victim to the barbarity ofMurilloin 1811, 

 in consequence of which his numerous researches in natural 

 history were almost entirely lost, with the exception of some 

 papers published in \.\\e Seminario de Bogota in 1808, and 

 fragments still existing in MS. or casually preserved and 

 printed in Europe, to one of which I shall presently have oc- 

 casion to refer. Humboldt travelled through South America 

 about the same time that Caldas was directing the attention 

 of his countrymen to physical science, and his investigations 

 have fortunately been subjected to a less rigorous destiny. 

 His admirable treatise " jD<? distribiitionc Plantarum gcogra- 

 phica" has left for future observers little but to corroborate 

 the accuracy of his views, and multiply facts in ilUistration of 

 his theories. 



When we begin our observations from the level of the sea 

 we find certain families of plants which scarcely ever rise to 

 above 300 or 400 feet; the" Sandald" producing the balsam 

 of Tolu, the Lecythis, the Coccoloba, the Bomhax, iheWiizo- 

 phora Maiigle, the Manchineel. A second and more nume- 

 rous class push on to about 2000 feet of elevation ; such are 

 the Plinia, the " Copal" the " Anime" the " Dragon's 

 blood, " the mahogany tree, the " Gtiayacdn" Among 

 plants, the Cccsalpinia, Ipomcea quamoclett most of the Bi- 

 gnonias, Portla7idias, tlie Vanilla, Cassia alata and ripa- 

 ria, the Pontaderia, which forms the ornament of tropical 

 rivers. The palms ascend to the height of 5000 feet. The 

 arborescent ferns, from the level of the sea amid the damp 

 forests of Esmeraklas to 7000 feet. Of cultivated plants the 

 Cacao and indigo are most limited as to elevation, neither of 

 which are cultivated with success at above 2000 feet. An 

 attempt to raise indigo at Mindo (3960 feet) completely failed. 

 It would seem that a dry climate is most favourable to indigo, 

 such as is found in the valleys of Aragua near Valencia; 

 while heat and moisture, as Humboldt observes, are particu- 

 larly required for cacao. Yet cacao cultivated on lands which 

 are flooded part of the year, as is the case with the greater 

 part raised in Guayaquil, is of inferior quality, scarcely pro- 



