31 



as rich in insects as Brazil. The very large herbarium at the 

 National Museum at Rio is similarly housed. 



There is a pool in one part of the grounds, largely devoted 

 to the Amazonian Victoria regia, now one of the best known 

 and most famous water lilies in the world. It needs no com- 

 ment except to note that here none of its leaves are over four 

 and one half feet in diameter. Dr. Campos-Porto, one of the 

 curators, stated that this was as large as he had ever seen it, 

 so that tales of six or even seven feet in diameter may be 

 stretching dimensions a bit. 



Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. 

 December 7, 1928. 



