T 
- the level of the sea, we find certain 
114 
is limited to the loftier regions of the Cor- 
dillera; while goats multiply more readily 
on such parts of the low country as are 
both hot and barren; as in the province 
of Coro, where they form the chief wealth 
of the inhabitants. 
But while nature facilitates the disper- 
sion, over the globe, of certain species of 
imals, she seems to limit others by an 
impassable barrier. The dog undergoes 
the fate of his European master. His sa- 
gacity and strength decay in a hot climate, 
and the breed dwindles rapidly into an 
animal totally inferior in habits and organ- 
ization. The foresters, accordingly, and 
Indians of the lowlands, who are accus- 
tomed to the chase of the wild hog, bring 
dogs, for the purpose, from the mountains ; 
where, though the Spaniards are by no 
means curious in this particular, a strong 
species of greyhound, niore or less degen- 
erated, is to be met with, and is used in 
the highlands for stag-hunting. 
The influence of temperature, and con- 
sequently of local elevation, on vegetable 
life, was first examined in Colombia, by a 
native of Bogota, the unfortunate and il- 
lustrious D. José Caldas, who fell a victim 
to the barbarity of Murillo, in 1811, in 
consequence of which his numerous re- 
searches in Natural History were almost 
entirely lost, with the exception of some 
papers, published in the “ Seminario de 
Bogota,” in 1808, and fragments still ex- 
isting in MSS., or casually preserved and 
printed in Europe. Humboldt travelled 
through South America, about the same 
time that Caldas was directing the atten- 
tion of his countrymen to physical science; 
and his investigations have, fortunately, 
been subjected to a less rigorous destiny. 
His admirable treatise, ‘ De distributione 
Plantarum geographica,” has left for fu- 
Bos ture observers little but to corroborate the 
of his views, and multiply facts 
in illustration of his theories. 
we begin our observations from 
ami- 
lies of plants which scarcely ever rise to 
above three or four hundred feet. The 
“ Sandalo,” producing the Balsam of Tolu 
PHYSICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL OBSERVATIONS 
—the Lecythis—the Coccoloba—the Bom- 
bax—the Rhizophora Mangle—the Man- — 
chineel. A second, and more numerous r 
class push on to about two thousand feet 
of elevation; such are the Plinia —the 
pal—the Anime—the Dragon’s Blood— _ 
the Mahogany Tree—the Guayacàn—the — 
Cesalpinia— Ipomea Quamoclit —most 
of the Bignonias—Portlandias—the Va- 4 
nilla — Cassia alata, and riparia—the © 
Pontederiá, which forms the ornament of 
tropical rivers. The Palms ascend to the — 
height of five thousand feet. The arbor- - 
escent Ferns, from the level of the sea, | 
amid the damp forests of Esmeraldas, to — 
seven thousand feet. Of cultivated plants, — 
the Cacao and Indigo are most limited as | 
to elevation, neither of which is cultivated. 
with success at above two thousand feet. — 
An attempt to raise Indigo at Mindo, (three — 
thousand nine hundred and sixty feet) com- _ 
pletely failed. It would seem that a dry — 
climate is most favourable to Indigo, such 
as is found in the valley of Aragua, near - 
Valencia; while heat and moisture, as | 
Humboldt observes, are particularly re- 
quired for Cacao. Yet, Cacao, cultivated — 
on lands which are flooded part of the d 
year, as is the case with the greater part | 
raised in Guayaquil, is of inferior quality, - 
scarcely producing in the market two dol- - 
lars and a half per hundred weight. That - 
of Esmeraldas, on the contrary, where, — 
notwithstanding the moisture of the cli- 
mate, the waters never settle on the soil, - 
is of equal or superior pesi to that of | 
the valley of Tuy, near Carac 4 
AIO 
of sowing the seed ; while vendit three 
years is the period at which they are reck- 
about seven thousand feet. 
Cotton requires, according to Humbok 
a mean temperature of not less than 
