1154 



and the many uses to which they are applied. I first endeavoured to 

 familiarize myself with the aspect of each species, and to learn to know 

 it by its native name ; but even this was not a very easy matter, for I 

 was often unable to see any difference between trees which the In- 

 dians assured me were quite distinct, and had widely different proper- 

 ties and uses. More close examination, however, convinced me that 

 external characters did exist by which every species could be sepa- 

 rated from those most nearly allied to it, and I was soon pleased to 

 find that I could distinguish one palm from another, though barely 

 visible above the surrounding forest, almost as certainly as the natives 

 themselves. I then endeavoured to define the peculiarities of form 

 or structure which gave to each its individual character, and made 

 accurate sketches and descriptions to impress them on my memory. 

 These peculiarities are often very slight though permanent : — in the 

 roots, the extent to which they appear above the ground ; — in the 

 stem, the thickness, which in each species varies within very definite 

 limits, — the swelling of the base, the middle or the summit, — its gene- 

 rally erect or curving position, — the nature of the rings with which it 

 is marked, — the number, direction and form of the spines or tubercles 

 wdth which it is armed ; — in the leaves, the erect or drooping position, 

 the size and form of the leaflets, the angles which they form with the 

 midrib, and the proportionate size of the terminal pair, are all impor- 

 tant characters. The fruit-spike or spadix is either erect or droop- 

 ing, either simple, forked, or many-branched ; and the fruits in 

 closely allied species vary in size, in shape, and in colour, as well as 

 in the bloom, down, hair or tubercles with which they are clothed. 



" In this little work careful engravings from my original drawings 

 are given, with a general description of each species, and a history 

 from personal observ^ation of the various uses to which it is applied, 

 and of any other interesting particulars connected with it. Several of 

 the species here figured are new, among them is the palm which pro- 

 duces the ' piassaba,' the coarse fibrous material of which brooms for 

 street-sweeping are generally made." — P. iii. 



The following extract will show the universal use of palms by the 

 Indian tribes, and their unspeakable importance to these primitive 

 children of the forest. 



" Suppose then we visit an Indian cottage on the banks of the Rio 

 Negro, a great tributary of the river Amazon in South America. 

 The main supports of the building are trunks of some forest tree of 

 heavy and durable wood, but the light rafters overhead are formed by 

 the straight cylindrical and uniform stems of the Jara palm. The 



