viii NOTES OF A BOTANIST 
botanical, as well as some others of purely anthro- 
pological or historical value, have been printed in 
smaller type, so that they may be readily skipped 
by those who are chiefly interested in the actual 
narrative of Spruce's travels as told by himself. 
I have endeavoured to make the Biographical 
Introduction as complete as possible, within the 
limits suitable to such a work as the present. I 
think it will be acceptable to all who knew Spruce 
either personally or through his writings ; while 
to those who here make his acquaintance for the 
first time, it will reveal something of the life of a 
very enthusiastic student of Nature, under difficult 
conditions, as well as of a refined and attractive 
personality. 
The illustrations are mostly from Spruce's own 
pencil sketches and drawings. Most of the larger 
of these were in very delicate outline, but a few 
were highly finished ; and from these, as indicating 
the type of scenery, the outlines have been shaded 
by a skilled artist under my directions, so as to 
produce very lifelike and attractive views in 
districts quite beyond the sphere of the travelling 
photographer. 
For the photographs of forest- scenery I am 
indebted to Dr. J. Huber of the Para Museum, 
who has kindly sent me the issues of his Arboretum 
Ainazonicwji, from which I have selected for repro- 
duction such as illustrate plants or scenes referred 
to by Spruce. The remaining illustrations are from 
the works of recent travellers on the Orinoco and 
in the Andes, the use of which has been obtained 
by the publishers. 
The beautiful portrait of Spruce forming the 
