286 NOTES OF A NATURALIST. 



carried out to sea. The efficacy of this mode of 

 transport as one of the means for the dispersion of 

 plants is now generally recognized, and, considering 

 that the basin of the Parana covers a space of over 

 twenty-one degrees of latitude, we must admit the pro- 

 bability that it has had a large part in the diffusion of 

 many tropical and subtropical species to the southern 

 part of the continent. 



The Rio Negro, which drains about half the terri- 

 tory of the republic, is the chief affluent of the Uruguay. 

 At the junction we met a small steamer which plies 

 to and fro on the tributary stream, and some time 

 was lost in effecting the exchange of passengers and 

 cargo. From some new-comers we gathered rather 

 vague reports as to the attempted revolution. The 

 chief was a certain Colonel Maximo Perez, already 

 well known in Uruguayan political life. I have 

 already explained that the term in this country means 

 the effort to use the soldiery to upset the existing 

 administration, or, if you happen to be in power, to 

 employ the same agency to make short work of your 

 rivals. It was generally thought that Perez had 

 made the mistake of raising the standard too soon, 

 and must fail. This anticipation was soon verified, 

 and before I left the country two reports, each equally 

 authentic, reached the capital — the one that he had 

 made his escape, the other that he had been shot. 

 To the community it was a matter of indifference 

 which story might be true : in the one case, he would 

 appear again to renew the revolt ; in the other, some 

 new adventurer would take his place. 



A few miles above the confluence of the Rio Negro 



