82 



JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



value of the book lies perhaps in the many details about the life and 

 customs of frogs, tree-frogs, snakes, lizards, and the like, of which a great 

 number were collected. There is, in particular, a very full history of the 

 classical axolotl. 



There is also a chapter on the ancient civilization in Mexico and its 

 origin, which contains full details of the astronomy and calendars of the 

 Aztecs or Toltecs. The customs and characteristics of the modern 

 Indian inhabitants are often mentioned incidentally. 



For botanical readers there is a full account of the cultivation of 

 Agave americana, and of its use as pulque ; such fruits as the Mexican 

 banana, pineapple, alligator pear, mammee apple and the like, are fully 

 described. The forests of Mexico are still by no means so thoroughly 

 known as one would expect, and there are graphic sketches in many 

 parts of the volume which are of interest. 



The rain forest is fringed on its outskirts by an impenetrable wall 

 of luxuriant herbage, shrubs and creepers, the tout ensemble recalling a 

 lavishly arranged bank of flowers at a flower show. After hacking and 

 slashing a path through the tangled growth, "we are in a gloomy, 

 stuffy forest consisting of tall straight trees, which branch out at a great 

 height above us, there interlacing and forming a dense canopy of green 

 through which passes little or no sunlight." "From below the leaves, 

 branches, and even bright coloured birds look black." 



" If by a lucky chance, we obtain a bird's-eye view from some eminence 

 we behold a different world. A dense green carpet overstrewn with 

 thousands of mauve, pink, yellow, or white flowers of some kind oi 

 Bignonia, visited by countless butterflies which are preyed upon by lizards 

 and tree-frogs, these being in their turn sought after by tree-snakes. Of 

 bird life, gorgeous and beautiful in colour, there is plenty. Vividly 

 coloured are also many of the other creatures — frogs, snakes, lizards, 

 and butterflies. Colour has to be laid on vividly, quiet coloration being 

 out of place. This colour-contrast was started by the blossoms, red, 

 yellow, or white ; self colours not variegated predominate and stand out 

 very effectively against the green." 



The very clear description of the Mexican forest does not, however, 

 apply to all tropical forests, which may be exceedingly different even in 

 one and the same district. 



The author has also some very interesting notes as to the distribution 

 of plants in the Nevado in which he appreciates the great importance 

 of the cloud zone. There are also many other interesting observations on 

 ants, birds, the Mexican slug, and other animals. 



"Notes of a Botanist on the Amazon and xlndes." By Richard 

 Spruce, Ph.D. Edited by Alfred Eussel Wallace, O.M., F.R.S. 8vo., 

 2 vols., 518 + 542 pp. 71 illustrations, 7 maps. (Macmillan, London. 

 1908.) 21s. net. 



These notes form a rather miscellaneous collection made from note- 

 books, journals and private letters during Spruce's long residence in South 

 America from 1849-1864. But they also include several valuable Papers 

 which were prepared by him for publication and which are to be found 

 in the second volume. 



