A RAMBLE IN THE HIGHER ALTITUDES 87 



known as the Poizo, reveals a grand chain of 

 mountains, with deep ravines running down to the 

 sea. The traveller's path will wind, in zigzag 

 fashion, down the steep mountain -side, and 

 gradually the Vacdnium will be left behind and 

 the beautiful ravine of Ribeiro Frio is entered 

 thickly wooded with many varieties of the laurel 

 tribe, which in their turn have their stems clothed 

 with lichen. 



To collectors of wild-flowers and ferns these 

 mountain expeditions are a never-ending joy, as, 

 according to the different seasons of the year, 

 innumerable treasures are to be found. A ramble 

 along the many levadas, or water-courses, will 

 well repay the collector, as at all seasons, ferns, 

 mosses, lichens, lycopodiums, and hosts of other 

 moisture-loving plants, are to be found ; while in 

 June and July, when the wild-flowers are in all 

 their glory, many rare and interesting plants 

 will appear. The levada which runs through 

 the Metade Valley was formerly the home of 

 the Orchis foliosa, the orchis known everywhere 

 as peculiar to Madeira, and its bright purple spikes 

 brightened the dense masses of green. Of late 

 years the plant has become scarce, probably 

 ruthlessly uprooted by passers-by, or in order to 



