COAST CIIAIS OF BRAZIL. 317 



in their whole length, a continued chain near the shore 

 (the Andes and the Cordillera of Venezuela), while the 

 eastern coast presents masses of more or less lofty moun- 

 tains only between the 12 and 30 south lat. In this 

 epace, 300 leagues in length, the system of the Brazil 

 mountains corresponds geologically in form and position 

 with the Andes of Chile and Peru. Its most considerable 

 portion lies between the parallels 15 and 22, opposite the 

 Andes of Potosi and La Paz, but its mean height is five 

 toises less, and cannot even be compared with that of the 

 mountains of Parime, Jura, and Auvergne. The principal 

 direction of the Brazilian chains, where they attain the 

 height of from four to five hundred toises, is from south to 

 north, and from south-south-west to north-north-east ; but, 

 between 13 and 19 the chains are considerably enlarged, 

 and at the same time lowered towards the west. Ridges 

 and ranges of hills seem to advance beyond the land-straits 

 which separate the sources of the Rio Araguay, Parana, 

 Topayos, Paraguay, Guapore, and Aguapehy, in 63 long. 

 As the western widening of the Brazilian group, or rather 

 the undulations of the soil in the Campos Parecis, corres- 

 pond with the spurs of Santa Cruz de la Sierra, and Beni, 

 which the Andes send out eastward, it was formerly con- 

 cluded that the system of the mountains of Brazil was 

 linked with that of the Andes of Upper Peru. I myself 

 laboured under this error in my first geologic studies. 



A coast chain (Serra do Mar) runs nearly parallel with 

 the coast, north-east of Rio Janeiro, lowering considerably 

 towards Rio Doce, and losing itself almost entirely near 

 Bahia (lat. 12 58'). According to M. Eschwege,* some 

 small ridges reach Cape Saint Roque (lat. 5 12'). South- 

 east of Rio Janeiro, the Serra do Mar follows the coast 

 behind the island of Saint Catherine as far as Torres (lat. 

 29 20') ; it there turns westward, and forms an elbow 

 stretching by the Campos of Vacaria, towards the banks of 

 the Jacuy. 



Another chain is situated westward of the shore-chain of 

 Brazil. This is the most lofty and considerable of all, and 

 is called the chain of Villarica. Mr. Eschwege distinguishes 



* Geognostiches GemUlde von Brasilien, 1>22. The limestone ol 

 Bahia abounds in fossil wood. 



