Melastomaceæ, an infinite variety of Palms, Bromeliaceæ, Myrtaceæ; Inga, Acacia, and other Leguminosa; Euphorbiaceæ, Malpighiaceae; Smilax, Vanilla, many orchids and other epiphytes ; tangled masses of hanging lichens, gigantic Ilianas; bignonias, and a multitude of ferns-Polypodium, Adiantum, Anemia, etc.and tree-ferns.

In the marshes I took Begoniæ, Juncaceæ, Cyperaceæ, Compositæ, Zinziberaceæ, Amaryllideæ, etc.

I append a list of the few plants I saved from the damp which ruined my collection; they were named by the kindness of Messrs. J. C. Melvill, M.A., F.L.S., James Britten, F.L.S., H. N. Ridley, M.A., F.L.S., and William Carruthers, F.R.S. The classification is from the "Genera Plantarum," by G. Bentham and Sir J. D. Hooker, London, 1862-1883, and from the "Synopsis Filicum," by Sir W. J. Hooker and J. G. Baker, London, 1874.

All the plants named were collected in the valley of the Rio Camapuão, a small tributary of the Rio Paraopéba, Minas Geraes, or on the table-lands near the valley.

These plants are now all in the herbarium of Mr. J. C. Melvill.

In the above list it will be observed there is an orchid new to science, which I gathered on the hillside near the town of Brumado, now called Cidade de Entre Rios. Mr. Ridley described it as follows, in the Journal of Botany for June, 1885, vol. xxiii. p. 170

"Habenaria Melvillii, sp. n.-Tubera lanata clavata. Folio duo, ovata obtusa patentia petiolata, 7-nervia; lamina majoris 2-uncias longa, 11⁄2 lata, petiolus vix uncialis. Scapus brevissimus I uncia longus. Flores duo magni. Sepala ovata obtusa, lateralia parum obliqua patentia. Petala bifida, lacinia antica erecta, ligulata obtusa falcata, postica longior recta linearis multo angustior, acuminata. Labellum trifidum, lacinia laterales lineares acuminatæ, media brevior, obtusa. Calcar longissimum 4-unciale, pendulum rectum, apice paullo dilatato. Columna brevis lata. Anthera haud apiculata, apices longæ curva.

"Cidade de Entre Rios, Minas Geraes, Brazil, coll. H. C. Dent. “The British Museum Herbarium is indebted for this interesting plant to Mr. J. Cosmo Melvill, whose name I have great pleasure in associating with it. It is remarkable for the broadly ovate-petiolate leaves, and the very short flower-stem bearing one (or two) rather large violet and white flowers, and with a spur more than twice the length of the stem. The dorsal sepal is fiveeighths of an inch long, the laterals a little longer. The petals are bifid; the upper lobe about the length of the dorsal sepals; the lateral lobe a little over an inch long, much narrower, and tapering away to a fine point. The lip has a short narrow base, ending in three narrow linear lobes; the two outer ones nearly an inch and a quarter long, tapering gradually to a point, the

middle one broader, shorter, and blunt. The long upcurved anther-processes are nearly three-eighths of an inch in length."

Gardner mentions, passing through Brumado, "a long, straggling village in a state of great decay."

NOTES ON PLANTS, VEGETABLES, AND FRUITS REFERRED TO ON P. 134.

Tobacco." The tobacco of Rio de Pomba, fifteen leagues from Barbacena, and the Rio Novo won the medal at the Industrial Exhibition of Rio de Janeiro; that of Baependy, especially the fumo crespo, is a dark, strong leaf, well fitted for making 'cavendish' or 'honey dew.' The soil will be much improved by compost, and the produce by being treated in Virginian styledelicately dried in closed barns with fires" (Captain Burton). After a time I took a great liking to the Pomba tobacco, and brought home a good supply. My friends in general consider it superb.

Bananas.-There are at least six kinds : Banana ôuro, São Tomé, and Prata, which are best eaten raw; B. maçã, da terra, and velhaca, which are generally fried or boiled, not being very sweet or juicy. The banana da terra is commonly known as plantain. This tree often falls to the ground by the weight of its own fruit. The banana tree is always cut down after the fruit is picked, and grows up again the next year. Banana ôuro is the smallest, and velhaca the largest.

Sugar-cane. Besides the ordinary powdery yellow sugar, there is a product called rapadoura, which is abundantly used. It consists of a hard brick-like brown uncrystallized sugar, from which the molasses has not been extracted. Captain Burton says it is only found in South America.

Cachaça, or caxaça, I have frequently referred to, and given the different local names by which it is known. This spirit is distilled from molasses, and is supposed to be pure; but the odour and taste are very disagreeable, though one gets accustomed to it. The price is about 4d. a pint. I found it useful and not injurious, when taken in small quantities; while a glass of any of the half-dozen Dutch spirits sold at Brumado invariably disagreed

"Travels in the Interior of Brazil," p. 385. London, 1849.

with every one of us. I had no leisure to study the comparatively nocuous effects of this or any other spirit on the natives; but the fact that those who are addicted to it soon come to an untimely end may not be owing to any specially injurious properties of cachaça, but simply to the fact that all spirituous liquors are harmful, taken in excess, especially in tropical countries. It is useful for mixing with water for washing purposes, thereby producing a refreshing and stimulating effect, and for anointing insect bites.

Restilo, or ristiri, as the name implies, is a redistillation of cachaça, though sometimes applied to the ordinary spirit. It has no smell when in the colourless form, and is much stronger than cachaça, and also dearer, but generally excellent. The good old lady at Camapuão had some tolerable Restilo do Reino, of a fine light-brown colour; and some liquor of the same name, bought at Brumado, was similar to good Jamaica rum. The price was 800 reis (1s. 4d.) per pint bottle.

Chillies, Pimentas.-There are many kinds, all excellent. Some are very hot, others mild; some are sweet and lemon-flavoured, others aromatic. The Mineiros are very fond of them; they are a good stomachic.

Quince, Marmelo.-These are made into a jam, which is called Marméláda.

Gooseberry, Gabiróba.—This is the Psidium cinereum (Mart.), P. gabiroba, and others of this extensive genus. In the spring (October), the campos are quite white with the lovely flower of this very abundant bush, which grows to about one or two feet high; and about Christmas, the shrubs are weighed down by the luscious golden fruit, which, in taste, size, and appearance, resemble our gooseberry.

Guava, Psidium pyriferum.-This is an abundant wild fruit. Unpalatable when raw, and with a peculiar pungent, disagreeable smell. It is principally made into goiabá, or marmalade, when it is eaten with cheese. This reminded me of the custom that obtains in Lancashire and Yorkshire of eating apple pie or damson tart with the same article.

Potato, Batata da India.-Yields two crops a year.

Sweet Potato, Batata dôce, Ipomea batatas, L.-Yields four crops a year.