NORTHERN PORTION 143 



recall the luxuriant selvas. A conspicuous feature of 

 the landscape is formed by the 'chapadas' or flat, 

 elevated, grassy tablelands, which may either be dotted 

 with trees, or constitute a regular parkscape of grass 

 and woods. 



Cattle and horse breeding, with the cultivation of 

 maize, mandioca, and beans, and other tropical produce 

 for home consumption, are the main occupations of the 

 sparse and widely scattered population. 



Southern Brazil Highlands. In the upper basin of 

 the Rio San Francisco, and farther south, the tableland 

 rises by steps. to altitudes of 3,000 and 4,000 feet, with 

 occasional higher ridges, thrown into mountains on the 

 eastern margin. These upper highlands have a more 

 extreme climate than those just described. While the 

 maxima of temperature keep very much to what they 

 were in the equatorial parts, the minima descend very 

 low indeed. Snow and frost are not unknown ; and 

 the seasonal and daily alternations of heat and cold are 

 strongly marked. The rainfall is somewhat higher than 

 in the northern region of the highlands, and varies from 

 50 to 60 inches. Rain occurs chiefly in summer, while 

 the winter may be very dry. 



Under such conditions, the tropical savana and the 

 dry bush aspect of the northern region give way to a 

 more temperate type of vegetation. Already in Minas 

 Geraes, the savana differs strongly from the sertao 

 aspect. Here the grass is short. The campos resemble 

 treeless steppes, or they are interrupted by carrascos, 

 bushy tracts, expanses of perennial herbs, and groves of 

 coconut-palms. The slopes of the valleys may be strewn 

 with a low brush, while the troughs shelter subtropical 

 forests. 



The most conspicuous feature, however, is the appear- 



