Miscellaneous Intelligence. 449 
‘should speak of this as a very interesting one of its class, and as particu- 
larly rich in information of permanent value. But, what commends the 
in its physical and climatic features. Of the vegetation, especially, Prof, 
Holton has succeeded in conveying to us, dwellers in northern climes, a 
a second edition, we advise the author to bring his great knowledge to 
bear upon this subject more directly and efficiently by adding a separate 
chapter on the Vegetation of New Granada, giving a comprehensive view 
of this flora in its main features, and in its distribution over the country 
according to climate, from the tropical sea-level up to the cold paramos 
and the isolated peaks clothed with perpetual snow. 
Much to our surprise, the author speaks of the Chirimoyo,—-generally 
ranked among the three best tropical fruits of the world,—as little better 
than our Asimina or “ Papaw ;” which, moreover, he terms a congener, 
having through some oversight mistaken Unona for Anona. While sug- 
gesting corrections, we venture to question the physics and geology of a 
paragraph, commencing on p. 237,—the idea that the temperature of a 
higher paramo is at all dependent on the great thickness of the crust of 
the earth there than at the sea-level. We fear the author has not taken 
mto account, the intensity of nocturnal radiation, and the more rapid 
evaporation under diminished pressure, as causes of refrigeration, as well 
as the dilatation of the air; and, on the other hand, has overlooked the 
fact that the neighborhood of active voleanoes, does not sensibly affect 
the temperature of a place. One word more upon another matter. As 
Prof. Holton’s valuable work will be sure to find readers beyond the Uni- 
ge that words are used, now and then, 
a peculi out Dalton’s theory of atoms in its 
true relati speculati er centuries. He treats briefly 
the noe the ancient Greeks. and thence traces the 
SECOND SERIES, VOL. XXIII, NO. 69.—MAY, 1857. 
57 : 
