250 TRAVELS AMONGST THE GREAT ANDES, chap. xiii. 



in rank of the Andes of the Equator, and indeed was less in 

 height than several of the minor peaks which had been already 

 ascended. 



Surprised by darkness before we could arrive at Corredor 

 Machai, another miserable night had to be passed at the upper 

 station. On the 18th we descended, and took ourselves off as 

 speedily as possible. After the reed, the chief Botanical feature 

 of the valley in which the ' Hunter's refuge ' was placed was the 

 extraordinary manner in which the twigs and branches of such 

 trees as were there were laden — almost stifled — with the lichen 

 Usnea harhata, Fries. This lichen and the Chusquea were the two 

 dominant species, and put nearly everything else out of sight. 

 The flora here is probably extensive. Close to the rock there 

 were Currant bushes in flower, a Fuchsia {F. Loxensis, H.B.K.) 

 at the greatest height these plants were seen, and Ferns were 

 numerous, although concealed.^ But all the botanical treasures 

 in Ecuador would not have enticed us to stop. We turned our 

 backs on this super-saturated place with the greatest possible 

 pleasure ; passed the nights of the 18th and 19th at La Dormida, 

 and on the 20th returned to Cayambe village, understanding 

 better than when we left it why Gonzalo Pizarro kissed the ground 

 when he stood again on terra fir ma. 



Such information as I brought from Sara-urcu differs materi- 



at Guayaquil (red. to 32° F.) were 29'912 and 29*859 inches, air temperatures, 

 respectively, being 80° and 81° Faht. During our stay on the summit, temperature 

 fluctuated between 43° -5— 55° Faht. 



Flies, evidently stragglers, of three distinct species were captured on the summit. 

 Like the rest of the Diptera, they remain undescribed. 



1 The following were some of the more common species round about Corredor 

 Machai. Lichens •.—Bceomyccs imbricahis, Hooker (abundant) ; Parmelia Kam- 

 tschadalis, Eschw.; Sticta laciniata, Ach. (abundant) ; Sticta sp,; and Usnea harhata, 

 Fries (very abundant). Mosses -.—Breutelia sp. ; Daltonia hilimhata, Hampe ; 

 Hypnum cupressiforme^ Linn., var. ; H. Schreheri, Willd. (abundant) ; 3fetzgeria 

 clavcejiora, Spruce; Mniurn rostratum, Schrad.; Plagiochila sp.; and Rhizogonium 

 mnioides, Schimp. Ferns:— Clieilanthes scariosa, Kaulf.; Hymertophyllum sericeitm, 

 Sw.; and Polypodium suhsessile, Baker. 



