90 



JOURNEY FROM CAPE TRIO 



seen. On the coast we found very few shells ; and in the marshes, 

 the nests of a species of wasp which has been already mentioned 

 (pelopoeus lunatus, Fabr.) formed of clay, in the shape of a pear, 

 pointed below, and attached to the branches of the shrubs. 



From Paulista, we followed the downs. Extensive marshes, and 

 lagoas, overgrown with reeds, in which grazed oxen and horses, often 

 in great numbers, wading up to their bellies, stretch away into the 

 country : plovers ( vanelliis CaifennensLs), herons, gulls, sea-swallows, 

 and ducks, were very numerous here ; the lapwings called qucr-quer^ 

 which I have already spoken of more than once as very troublesome 

 to the hunter, fly round his head when he approaches their nest, just as 

 the European species does. The thickets on the downs generally con- 

 sist of hromelias and lofty cactus, mixed with many other leafy plants. 

 Upright cactus stems were now just opening their white blossoms ; 

 they had four, five, and six-cornered branches : but they seemed to 

 belong to only one, or at the most two species ; for these singular 

 thorny plants vary much, according to their age, in the number of 

 their angles. The cactus plants are particularly dangerous to the feet 

 of the nmles and horses when travelling ; for a thorn entering the 

 hoof or a joint, is liable to lame the animal. We found here in the 

 sand, the turnera ulmifoUa ; and in the marshes, two white-flowering 

 species of nymp1i(za, the Indica, and another called by Mr. Sellow 

 erosa, with very large flowers : also a tall white-flowering alisma 

 (water-plaintain), probably also new, with narrow elongated leaves. 

 It was not easy to come at this beautiful plant in the deep bogs ; Mr. 

 Sellow sunk to a considerable depth in the black bog-water ; and I 

 fared no better myself, while engaged in the pursuit of some water- 

 fowl. 



the shoulder, as well as three dark stripes running in a perpendicular direction over the 

 closed eye-lids. All the descriptions of the quetz-paleo are defective ; yet it cannot lie mis - 

 taken. The lizard with the black collar is called on the east coast lagarta. 



