190 NOTES OF A NATURALIST. 



pressions on the olfactory nerve. If there be persons 

 in whom such impressions are sufficiently distinct to 

 be accurately recalled by an effort of the memory, I 

 can imagine that in some countries the nose might 

 afford a valuable help to the botanical collector. To 

 judge, however, from personal experience, I should 

 say that of all the senses that of smell is the one 

 which supplies the least accurate impressions, and 

 those least capable of certain recognition. 



We reached a place where a small stream from the 

 upper part of the mountain springs in a little water- 

 fall from a cleft in the rocks, and which is known as 

 the Salto de San Ramon. This is probably about four 

 thousand feet above the sea-level, and between us 

 and the lower limit of the snow which covered the 

 higher slopes there stretched a rather steep acclivity, 

 covered, like the ground around us, with bushes and 

 small shrubby plants. A few small trees (chiefly 

 Kageneckid) grew near the Salto, but higher up 

 scarce any were to be seen. Professor Philippi, who 

 is well acquainted with the ground, thought that little, 

 if anything, would be added to our collections by 

 continuing the ascent, so we devoted the spare time 

 to examining the ground in our immediate neighbour- 

 hood, thus adding a few species not before seen. In 

 summer, however, an active botanist, starting early 

 from Apoquinto, who did not object to an ascent of 

 six or seven thousand feet, would reach the zone of 

 Alpine vegetation, and be sure to collect many of the 

 curious plants of this region of the Andes. 



May 22 and the following day were fully occupied 

 in Santiago. Among other agreeable acquaintances, 



