THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN. 233 



The Ageronia feronia, already noticed as possessing the curi- 

 ous property of producing a crackling noise with its wings 

 when it flies, was observed in numbers, resting with expanded 

 wings, head downwards, on the trunks of the trees ; and we 

 often subsequently remarked it as a curious circumstance, 

 that there was one individual tree, a species of Mimosa, from 

 the bark of which a clear brown gum exuded, on which we 

 were almost certain to find specimens of this insect resting. 



On the 13th, having received an invitation from a Scotch 



gentleman, Dr. E. H. Gunning (well known for his exceeding 



kindness and hospitality to almost all naval officers who have 



visited Eio), to spend a few days with him at his estate on 



the Serra de Mar, about 1400 feet above the level of the 



sea, and fifty miles distant from the city of Eio, on the line 



of the Dom Pedro Eailway, I landed in the morning, and 



drove to the Estrado Ferro at Campo Sta. Anna in the back 



part of the town. Here I met the Doctor, and we took out 



our tickets for the Eodeio station, about two miles from his 



house, the fare (1st class) being between five and six mille- 



reis, equivalent to about ten or eleven shillings. We started 



about twelve o'clock in a train of moderate length, drawn by 



a wood-burning engine, with a short, wide-mouthed funnel. The 



line passes at first through comparatively low-lying country, 



abounding in plantations of maize, sugar-cane, and oranges, the 



glossy green leaves and golden fruit of which communicated an 



exceedingly pretty effect to the landscape. A thinly wooded 



marshy tract of ground was then traversed, and here I was 



greatly delighted by the beauty of the flowers, and felt much 



tantalised by being unable to stop to gather them. I noticed, 



among others, some water plants, with bright blue flowers, 



probably Pontederice, as well as a variety of epiphytes of 



various orders on the trees and shrubs, some of the latter of 



