NOV. 1768 VEGETATION NEAR RIO 29 
know of has been here since Marcgrav and Piso about 
1640; so it is easy to guess the state in which the natural 
history of such a country must be. 
To give a catalogue of what I found would be a trouble 
very little to the purpose, as every particular is mentioned 
in the general catalogues of this place. I cannot, however, 
help mentioning some which struck me the most, and con- 
sequently gave me particular pleasure. These were chiefly 
the parasitic plants, especially Renealmie (for I was not 
fortunate enough to see one Hpidendrum) and the different 
species of Bromelia, many not before described. Karratas 
I saw here growing on the decayed trunk of a tree sixty feet 
high at least, which it had so entirely covered that the 
whole seemed to be a tree of Karratas. The growth of the 
Rhizophora’ also pleased me much, although I had before a 
very good idea of it from Rumphius, who has a very good 
figure of the tree in his Herb. Amboin. [v. iii. tab. 71, 72). 
Add to these that the whole country was covered with the 
beautiful blossoms of Malpighiw, Bannisterie, Passiflorcee, not 
forgetting Poinciana and Mimosa sensitiva, and a beautiful 
species of Clusia, of which I saw great plenty; in short, the 
wildest spots here were varied with a greater quantity of 
flowers, as well as more beautiful ones, than our best- 
devised gardens; a sight infinitely pleasing for a short 
time, though no doubt the eye would soon tire with a con- 
tinuance of it. 
The birds of many species, especially the smaller ones, 
sat in great abundance on the boughs, many of them covered 
with most elegant plumage. I shot Lowia brasiliensis, and 
saw several specimens of it. Insects also were here in 
great quantity, many species very fine, but much more 
nimble than our European ones, especially the butterflies, 
almost all which flew near the tops of the trees, and were 
very difficult to come at, except when the sea breeze blew 
fresh, which kept them low down among the trees where 
they might be taken. Humming-birds I also saw of one 
species, but could not shoot them. 
1 Mangrove tree. 
