A Terribly Venomous Planh. 
Cotinga, as \s ell as peiliaps to show iu after years that Maikaug-Yepatori 
had been visited by Eiuopeans, we made the descent. A number ot 
rounded shallow excavations, wliich really seemed to liave been cut out 
Avith a chisel, and Avere scattered over the whole side of the giant ciag, 
next engaged our full attention, yet A\ ithout our Ijeing able to understand 
their sources of origin in so hard a rocky material. Tlie more desolate the 
slopes of tills craggy mass on wliicli ou]y amongst tlu- isolaterl chinks 
and crevices ^x here a liKie hiimns had colhcted, some Mclocad lis and 
dwarfish Cassia dragged on a miseralde existence, the more luxuriant 
dill the vegetation jtrove in l)etween the boulders scattered around 
its base: the only exception to prove this rule was the delicate J'tcris 
ciiclilora Kze. sp. nov. a fern whicli, no soojicr called into l)eing by the 
moistnre of the tropical winter imd given time to fructify, is doomed to 
lie scorched to death ly the \eiy sunshine of which it is so shy. 
]t Avas only after long and fruitless seavclri that I was able to 
find some fresh s|)ecimens in the tiirfsures of the rocks and under the 
boulders resting one on top of the other. The base of the westerly rock, 
.\ raw an IUI, Avhich Ave also wanted to climb, gave us some interesting 
botanical results, for Ave not oidy found a new shi'ub-like Cassia with 
large lu-ight yelloAV blossoms, Cossi<i arairamui Schomb., undoubtedly 
one of the most beautiful r(\iu-es( iitatives of the family, but also 
discovered in iictAveen the sharp gneiss and granite boulders what 1 
might almost call a tree-like plant, a lind that gave me more than a 
Avcek's ])ainful remembrance. The thick legume-like stalk, lightly hirsute 
leaA'es ami Avhite honu'ly blossoms looked so strange that 1 put out my 
left hand to pull off a tw ig so as to get hold of some blooms. Had 
a snake bitten me, I could not have Avithdraw n it (juicker or stared at the 
bush iu greater tei'ror. An awful burning' i»ain, just as if I had seized 
gloAving hot iron, shot through my liand. Avhich immediately started 
to iuflaiUie and swell, lasted for the next six flays, and even then forced 
n)e to treat it with care. The frightfully armed ]>laut works its A-enom 
even through linen breeches. A l)ad attack of fever supervening from 
it soon after endtittered for me what would otherwise have yu'oved so 
])rotitable a day for the enjoyment of Nature. It Avas the Cnidoscolus 
Marcf/ravii Pohl. 
334. Owing to the long series of cataracts tliat still stretched their 
course along the river beyond the rocky heiglit^^, as Avell as the lassitude 
consequent upon their climb, we considered it more advisable to postpone, 
until the day following, the heavier task of hauling the boats over this 
roaring mass of water. Cleaning up Avith cutlass a spot in the dense 
<(>nfusion of J'a pilirmaccae, Mimosar, Gannaceac, Zingihemceac and 
Piperaccae, Ave pitched our tents. The Cotinga. provided the other 
meml)ers of the company with some lish, but the pain had driven all 
hunger out of me. Sunrise, found the people already exerting- their 
utmost endeavours, and after the lapse of a feAV hours their labour was 
completed, and the cataracts fortunately lay behind us. As I could 
lend no assistance on account of my sore hand, I Avalked along the banks 
where, amongst the rank and flowering Mimosa, Apciba, JJi/rsoniiita , and 
Lrci/this, T discovered an extraordinary tree-like Pa pilioiutrca in very 
complete bloem, Avhich betiides the beauty of its tlower, possessed an 
