THE TROPICAL ZONE. 249 



5400 feet, grow many handsome shrubs; amongst these are 

 some of the Cassias, and others (belonging to the natural 

 tribe of Malpighiaeea) not unlike the Portugal Laurel in 

 general appearance, both from the shape of the leaf, and 

 the long clusters of little blossoms. Several Perns grow 

 also in such situations, and a few Mosses and Lichens. 

 Occasionally, in passing along the flat top of one of these 

 mountain-ridges, we travel for a long distance through a 

 rich and beautiful vegetation, where our path leads us 

 through large open grassy tracts, abounding in numerous 

 kinds of the curious Enocaulon and species of the Com- 

 posite family; where we again meet with a small Virgu- 

 laria, with its pale rose-coloured, snapdragon-like flowers; 

 with a profusion of a purple Fellozia, and one of the 

 Gentian tribe (Lisianthus) , with beautiful scarlet flowers 

 and excessively yellowish-green stalks and leaves ; amongst 

 other plants, too, we here meet with a blue-flowered Lupine. 

 As we travel on, our way leads through "rugged tracts 

 thinly wooded with small shrubs, amongst which are nu- 

 merous Melastomacea, many of them with small imbricated 

 leaves and large rose-coloured blossoms, forming the most 

 elegant little bushes imaginable ; in general habit not un- 

 like Heaths. During two days' journey the whole surround- 



