CuAP. XIX. THE " RED HARKS." 321 



safely embarked on Ijoard the steamer, in charge of Mr. Cross, 

 on tlie 2nd of January, 186.1. 



Thus skilfully and successfully did Mr. Spruce, and his able 

 colleagues, perform this most difficult and important service. 

 Mr. Spruce, during the whole time that he was in the chin- 

 chona forests, made most careful meteorological observations. 

 From June 19th to December 8th the results of observations 

 of the thermometer were as follows : — 



Mean minimum •• Gl^° 



Mean maximum 723 



Mean temperature at 6 J p.m. .. 67f 



Highest temperature observe^l .. 80^ on July 27tli. 



Lowest „ ,, .. r)7 on July lltli. 



Entire range 231 



. Mean daily variation lOJ 



On the western side of the Quitenian Andes, south of the 

 Equator, the summer or diy season lasts from June to Decem- 

 ber, the remaining five months constituting the wet season. 

 In the summer, at Limon, the early part of the day is 

 often sunny, and fogs come on in the afternoon and night ; 

 but in the wet season there are fogs in the morning, and 

 heavy rains dm-ing the rest of the day and night. 



A perusal of the foregoing pages, which are nothing more 

 than a brief abstract from Mr. Spruce's official reports, cannot 

 fail to impress the reader Avitli the valuable nature of the 

 service which has been performed, and with the energy and 

 fortitude, combined with great skill and ability, which enabled 

 Mr. Spruce to overcome so many difliculties; and almost 

 equal praise is due to Mr. Cross. But in recounting these 

 arduous labom-s, only half of Mr. Spruce's services have been 

 recorded. That gentleman is an accomplished botanist, and 

 most accurate observer ; and he has supplied us with a de- 

 tailed report which, I do not hesitate to say, contains a larger 

 amount of valuable information on the chinchona-forests than 

 any account which has yet appeared in Europe. In addition 



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