122 TlMEHRI. 



contemptuously remarked to him as he started: — 

 '■' Buckra no able shoot pacu !" A dead specimen of the 

 krumai (Brycon macrolepidotus) — a relative of the 

 perai and pacu, of lovely colouring, and remarkable 

 for the enormous size of its pale green and blue, silvery 

 scales — was picked up, but it was, unfortunately, so badly 

 bitten as to be unfit for preservation. The electric eel 

 (Gymnotus eleclricus) was said to be common below 

 the cataract, and one man indeed declared he had 

 received a discharge while pushing the boat ; but there 

 was no other evidence of their presence. 



Nearly a day was spent at Tumatamari carrying the 

 goods across, and pulling the bateau up the south 

 channel, where, from the lowness of the water, a track had 

 to be made among the smaller rocks, and skids placed 

 over the large boulders, in order to get the boat over. 



Among the trees and rocks at this cataract, a large variety 

 of orchids could be collected; we noticed, however, but few 

 in flower; and those observed were by no means showy, but 

 generally inconspicuous. One rather conspicuous form, 

 (Epidendron nodlurnumj , with nearly white flowers grew 

 in abundance on the trees on the island in the cataract. 

 Many of the old trunks were literally covered with a 

 green mantle of this species of Epidendron, and a com- 

 mon species of Brassavola, among which were frequent 

 tufts of wild pines, and a small fern with long and narrow 

 fronds (Acrostichum simplex). One common orchid 

 (Brassia) with very fleshy pseudo-bulbs grew in large 

 masses on the island in the cataract, even on the bare 

 exposed rock, where the temperature under the hot sun 

 seemed to be extremely prejudicial to its growth. The 

 flowering season for plants generally was over, and but 



