162 AMAZONIA AND LA PLATA. 



Some 600 miles seawards stands the volcanic Trinidade Island, wLich the 

 astronomer Halley occupied in 1700, in the name of England. But since the 

 close of the eighteenth century it has belonged politically to Brazil. About 30 

 miles farther east are seen the three islets of Martim Vaz, so named from the 

 Portuguese pilot who discovered them at the beginning of the sixteenth century. 



Climate. 



On the coastlands the temperature in this tropical part of Brazil never falls 

 below 68° F., ranging from about 72" in July to 79^ or 80° in Januar3\ Towards 

 the interior the heat naturally decreases with the altitude, while the range 

 between the extremes increases from about 18^ on the seaboard to as much as 54° 

 on the plateaux. 



Between Recife and Bio de Janeiro, the coast lies entirely within the zone of 

 the southern trade winds, which set steadily from the south-east during the winter 

 season from April to September. In summer the north-east trades predominate ; 

 but irregularities occur in all seasons, and the calms resulting from the collision 

 between opposing currents are sometimes followed by fierce storms, though 

 true cyclones are I'are. 



Although the European settlers speak officially of •" spring, summer, autumn, 

 and winter," the only natural division is that of the Guarani natives, who recog- 

 nise the " season of the sun " and the " season of rain " alone. On the coast the 

 rains, which fall chiefly in autumn, are much heavier than on the plateaux, shel- 

 tered by the mountains from the moist sea breezes. Nevertheless, even in the Upper 

 S. Francisco basin the precipitation is abundant enough to develop boggy tracts 

 like those of Ireland. Farther north the elevated chapadas of Bahia sulïer, on the 

 contrary, from a deficient rainfall, and here some districts present the aspect of 

 real deserts.* 



Floka and Fauna. 



A sel va comparable to that of Amazonia occupies all the well-watered coast- 

 lands and the higher valleys of the ranges exposed to the moist marine 

 winds. But on the western slopes of the backbone continuous woodlands become 

 rare. Much of the treeless aspect of the hills is, however, due to the action of 

 man, especially in the mining districts, where the timber required for the under- 

 ground galleries has often to be renewed every four years. On the northern 

 plateaux the forests are reduced to mere catangas, clumps or thickets of shrubs 

 which shed their leaves during the dry season ; here many of the heights, especi- 



* Meteorological conditions of the Upper S. Francisco valley and of the towns on the adjacent sea- 

 board : — 



Temperature. 



