12G 



Notes of a Visit to Mexico, 



Mammillaria gracilis Cereus sessilis 



— tenuis — polylophus 



— Wildiana and 22 species not — Deppii 

 named. — pulcherrimus 



Echinocactus obvallatus Opuntia sessilis 



— geometrizans 



Upon my arrival in the city of Mexico (Feb. 20. 1839) I lost no 

 time in making the necessary inquiries respecting the best way of 

 proceeding on my new mission to Guatemala, distant nearly twelve 

 hundred miles. After considering how circuitous is the route by sea, I 

 resolved to undertake the journey by land, anticipating that, by 

 going over such an extensive country, I must fall in with some novel- 

 ties. Having completed the necessary arrangements for such a jour- 

 ney, and procured some letters of introduction to persons in Central 

 America, I gladly accepted a kind offer made to me by Robert 

 Smith, Esq. of Oaxaca, to accompany him and his convoy to that 

 place, which we safely reached after a journey of eighteen days. 



The valley of Oaxaca is between 4000 and 5000 feet above the 

 level of the sea. The greater part being under cultivation, I 

 resolved to visit the well-wooded heights to the east, which are 

 visible from the town. A ride of five miles over a well cultivated 

 country, varied by a few patches of sugar cane and cochineal plan- 

 tations, brought me to the entrance of the mountains, which are 

 thinly covered with Oaks of a dwarfish growth, intermingled with 

 Arbutus jalapensis and oaxacana. Crataegus mexicana, Alms 

 mexicana, Maurandya antirrhiniflora, and a species of Salix grew 

 along the rivulet. About 500 feet higher at a hut called the 

 Rancho del Estudiante, Pinus Teocote and Leiophylla appeared, in 

 company with Cercocarpus Fothergillokles, and Tilia mexicana, the 

 latter forming a lofty tree. I„ s h ade d places overhanging the 

 rivulet Fuchsta arborescens, was flowering profusely, forming a little 

 tree 1_ ieet high with a stem five inches in diameter; a shrubby 

 Boccon.a and Garrya laurifolia were also met with. At the 



