TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 



to all that might fall within the sphere of our ob- 

 servations and researches, and to provide us with 

 those instruments, the judicious employment of 

 which, during the course of the expedition, might 

 be productive of results particularly interesting to 

 science. 



In consequence of these commands, the travellers 

 were recommended to direct their chief attention 

 towards enriching the two departments of zoology 

 and botany, and at the same time to keep in view 

 the other branches of science, as far as time and 

 circumstances should allow. Dr. Spix, as zoologist, 

 engaged to make the whole animal kingdom the 

 object of his observations and labours. With this 

 view he had to observe the inhabitants, whether 

 aborigines or colonists; to remark the different 

 effects of climate upon them ; their physical and 

 intellectual powers, &c. : the external and internal 

 conformation of all the indigenous animals ; their 

 habits and instincts, and the geographical limits in 

 which they are found ; their migrations : and, 

 lastly, to investigate the fossil remains of animals, 

 those most authentic records of the past, and most 

 convincing proofs of the gradual development of 

 the creation. Dr. Martins, as botanist, undertook 

 to explore, in its whole extent, the vegetable king- 

 dom of the tropics. Besides the study of the 

 botanical families peculiar to the country, he was 

 particularly to examine those forms which, by their 

 affinity or identity with those of other countries, 



