574 



ing, with lofty bushes of heliotrope covered with blossoms, and gera- 

 niums in full flower ; an avenue of young Phytolacca dioica, and other 

 symptoms of a warm climate. The first crop of peas we find is over, 

 beans are now in perfection, strawberries in fruit, sweet roses in blos- 

 som. The wild plants are coming forward rapidly, the limestone 

 hills are covered with the beautiful Iris sisyrinchium and sambucina, 

 though the latter is not so abundant ; Ophrys vespifera or lutea 

 and arachnites, Orchis Morio, several Antirrhinums, Cistuses, the de- 

 licate Ulex australis, several Rutas, Cerinthe aspera, or a variety with 

 purple blossoms striped with white (that I got in Italy and Greece was 

 tinged with yellow) ; several species of Calendula, Bellis annua, syl- 

 vestris and perennis, the last the least common, the beautiful Narcis- 

 sus Bulbocodium, Ornithogalum umbellatura, Vinca major, in great 

 profusion and beauty ; Cynoglossa, Lupinus, lUecebrum, Paronychia, 

 Arum arisarum and maculatum (or one which comes very near it), 

 Aristolochia longa, Asphodelus ramosus and fistulosus, Oxalis tube- 

 rosus and corniculatus, Genista triacanthos. Anemone ranunculoides, 

 and many other plants are now in perfection, as is the delicate annual 

 fern, Gymnogramma leptophylla. In the hedges, Rubus fruticosus, 

 Smilax nigra and aspera are abundant, the two latter in fruit. Fica- 

 ria ranunculoides is very large. Urtica membranacea and urens, 

 both abundant. I have not observed any other species of this genus. 

 One of the most showy plants in the gardens at present is Antholyza 

 oethiopica, which grows in large beds in damp, shady situations. Calla 

 oethiopica is also in great abundance, and very fine. Palms, bam- 

 boos, Dracaena Draco, and other tropical plants, also flourish in the 

 open air." 



In a subsequent letter to Dr. Neill, Mr. Trevelyan gives a full list 

 of the plants in flower on 28th of March. In this letter Mr. Trevelyan 

 writes — " The Cynomorium coccineum, formerly known in medicine 

 under the name of Fungus melitensis, is a very common plant, very 

 showy, and in great abundance on the roots of the shrubby Cistus. I 

 hear that a company has been formed in Spain for the cultivation of 

 the sugar-cane. Many things might be cultivated, were it not for the 

 indolence and unenterprising nature of the people. No railroad has 

 been commenced nor determined on, and scarcely any improvements 

 are going on in the country." 



Dr. Balfour read a letter which he had received fi-om Dr. Cleghorn, 

 a Fellow of the Society, dated Teerthully, 27th March, in which he 

 states that since the end of October he had made a tour through the 

 north-western division of Mysore, and collected a great number of in- 



