308 
Flora and Fauna or tel Neighbourhood. 
edges of the oases between the Cactus and Agave. Two of the largest 
oases that rise out of Lake Amucn are without doubt the Islas Ipomucena 
of Don Antonio iSantos. On the western edge of the lake the river 
Pirara makes its way out again to hurry on now to the Maliu, Takutu, 
Rio Branco, Rio Negro, and so through these to the Amazon. Extending 
somewhat to the East of its source is the watershed between the basins 
of the Rio Branco and Rupununi : it is an insignificant undulating rise 
dotted here and there with bleak masses of granite from 10 to 000 feet 
in height, a characteristic peculiarity that essentially distinguishes 
these grassy plains from those immense llanos and pampas of the 
southern portion of South America. To the southward, as a distinctly 
visible sign of Pirara, some two hundred paces from the village, on the 
slope of the hill on Avhicli it is situate, are to be seen two very old and 
isolated palms ( Astrocaryum Tucuma) the fronds of which are all 
directed to the westward by the prevailing easterly wind: several huge 
Agave and C evens hexagonus and pentagonus Haw. have grouped them- 
selves around their immense trunks for which they constitute an impene- 
trable protecting Avail. Pirara itself lies in 3° 39' 20" lat, N. and 59° 20' 
long. \V. The savannahs between the Rupununi and Rio Branco are 
between 350 to 400 ft. above the level of the sea. 
863. My first botanical excursion in the environs of Pirara Avas so 
bounteously rewarded that Avhen I began I did not knoAV Avhere first to 
turn inv eyes or my hands. f 
864. I found the animal Avorld on these free open flats just as neAV 
to me as most of the vegetable representatives. Although one no longer 
heard that crude and awful howling of the monkeys, those ear-splitting 
screeches of innumerable parrots and social falcons (Falco nudicollis) 
and only occasionally noticed) in the isolated Curatella trees some pepper- 
eaters ( Rhamphastos Toco Linn.) but more often the red-lieaded fly- 
catchers (Museicapa coronata Linn.) as well as the equally pretty 
Muscicapa Tyrannus Linn, with its tAVO long tail-feathers of which the 
females’ are considerably the shorter — the most beautiful humming- 
birds such as Trochilus moscliitas and flavifrons, even though silent, 
were present in proportionately greater numbers: in conjunction with 
the most brilliant butterflies, they swarmed among the flower bushes. 
Small falcons perched on top of the ant-hills lie in wait during the mid- 
day hour for their prey to come and visit the isolated trees while the 
large Caracara eagles ( Polyborus Caracara ) fly along the Indian pads, 
f— I am mentioning only a few of the representatives : 'Polygala Mollis, P. angustifolia 
Humb. Bonp., P. galioides Poir., P. camporum Benth., Amasoniea erecta Linn., 'Neurocarpim 
long i folium Mart., Pavonia sped .sg Humb. Bonp.. Bleohantopus angustifolins Sw., TJnxia cam- 
phorata Linn., Scoparia dulcis Linn., Wulfia platyqlossa DeC., Coutoubea ramosa Aubl-, Schübleria 
coarctata Benth., Bidens bipinnata Linn., Bscobedia scabrifolia Ruiz et Pav., Stemodia foliosa 
Benth., Turnera apifera Mart., T. parviflora Benth., T. avrantiaea Benth., T. guianensis Benth., 
Bvrsenima verho sei folia Humb. Bonp.. Phaseolus linearis Humb. Bonp., Bachnera lavandulacea 
Chamss., a number of lovely bushes of Jlelictrres guazumaefolia Humb. Bonp., Sterculia Ivira 
Sw., covered with B chile* coriacea Benth., then Cassia lotoides, cultrifolia , and prostrata Humb. 
Bonp., Miconia ciliata DeC., M.SchomburaJcii Benth., Tibouchina aspera Aubl.,. Securidaca 
latifolia Benth., S.pubiflora Benth., and Sirtella rubra Benth. In the forest oases in the 
neighbourhood of Pirara I found a Passiflora that grows into a real bush of which the 
twig-terminals inclined somewhat to tendrils : the lovely delicate white petals and brown 
nectary contrasted charmingly with the bright yellow calyx and the dark green leaves : it 
turned out to be a new species, Passiflora ( Astrophea ) glaberrima Klotzsch. 
