&T. 74. ] TO J. D. HOOKER. 763 
ing mountains, including Popocatapetl and its more 
broadly snowy companion, —with its more difficult 
name, meaning White Lady, —at this season always 
with cloudless tops. The cypresses of Chapultepec 
are glorious trees, plenty of them, full of character, 
and of a port which should help to distinguish the 
Mexican species from the North American. I wish 
you could see them. And such old trees of Schinus 
molle, the handsomest of trees either old or young, 
the old trunks wonderfully bossed. Is it a native of 
Mexico? I thought only of Chili. But it is well at 
home here. 
Such yucca trees as we have seen on the way here, 
with trunks at base two or three feet in diameter, 
weirdly branched, looking like doum palms. Opun- 
tias of two or three arborescent species, some huge, 
and other cacti not a few. 
I have still to compare Arizona with the plateau of 
northern Mexico. But I see they are all pretty 
much one thing. .. . 
OrizABA, February 27, 1885. 
Since my former sheet, Farlow and I have been 
mousing about the city of Mexico, I coughing most of 
the time, in a clear, dry air and nearly cloudless sky, 
weather which should be most delightful, but some- 
how it is bad for the throat (for the natives as well 
as for us), and the rarefied air puts one out of breath 
at a little exertion; mornings and evenings cool 
and fresh, the midday warm, in the sun trying... . 
Called in a physician, a sort of medical man to 
American embassy, who came here with Maximilian, 
and stayed. Very intelligent. Ordered us to come 
here as soon as Mrs. Gray could travel. Here only 
