plumage, and soft and delicate note, often drew my attention.
To those who have never before seen any of this tribe of birds alive,
their exotic colors and manners will be exceedingly interesting.
The delicate Humming-birds ( Trochili) of South America are, in
Southern Africa, represented by the Nectarinice, here called by the
Dutch colonists Suiker-vogels (sugar-birds), from having been observed,
at least in the neighbourhood of Cape Town, to feed principally
on the honey of the flowers of the Suiker-bosch (sugar-bush). *
The loud and clear whistle of the cahari-byter (canary-biter), a
species of Lanimf, is heard from afar, its notes being very remarkable.
The weather, which was delightful, though hot, gave a smiling
appearance to every object. The novelty of the scenery, the clearness
of the atmosphere, and the profuse variety which Flora has strewn
over this her favoured country, inspired me with the most agreeable
sensations, and created new ardour and activity. By the time we
had joined the road leading to Campsbay Kloof, all my boxes were
completely filled with what I had already gathered, and having no
where room for more, I was obliged to turn my steps homeward.
To give some idea of the botanical riches of the country, I-need
only state that, in the short distance of one English mile, I collected
in four hours and a half, one hundred and five distinct species of
plants, even at this unfavourable season ; and I believe that more than
double that number may, by searching at different times, be found
on the same ground.
Descriptions of all the objects of natural history, observed during
these travels, are intended to be published in a separate work. A
list of the plants, arranged according to the days on which they were
collected, and the places where they were found, will be given in a
small precursory work, under the title of Catalogas geographicus
plantarum Africa australis extratropicce, with' notes of such particulars
as may be thought interesting. From this catalogue I shall
occasionally extract some names, hoping that even a bare enumeration,
exhibiting the geographical or local associations of plants,
* Protesa meUifera. f Turdus zeylonus of Linn.
may not be unacceptable to the philosophical botanist. To the traveller,,
or the collector, who shall hereafter visit the places described
in these travels, such lists may be useful in directing his attention to
some objects that might otherwise escape his notice. *
* Among the plants observed in this day’s walk, were, —
Protea acaidis
Royena glabra
Polygala (Muraltia) Heisteria
Scabiosa pumilct
Polygala (Muraltia) stipulacea
Andropogon hirtum. Th.
Juncus capensis
Lightfootia subulata
Linum Africanum
Corymbium glabrum
Aspalathus pungens
Aristea spicata. Pers.
Hydrocotyle Asiatica. Th.
Hibiscus Ethiopicus
Polygala Garcini. D.C.
Briza Capensis
Rottbbllia dimidiata
Morea bituminosa
Enrica imbricata
Cynosurus uniolee
Atraphaxis undulata
Borbonia crenata
Borbonia lanceolata
Myrica serrata
Erica baccans
Arnica Gerbera
Chironia linoides
Cliffbrtia ruscifolia
Chrysocoma Comaurea
Psoralea aphylla
Myrica quercifolia
Erica cerinthoides
Besides, on 28th February, —
Plantago hirsuta
Polygala ? spinosa, «.
On 16th March, —
Hcemanthus coccineus
Aristida Capensis
Lobelia repens.
Cyperus lanceus
Zygophyllum sessilifolium
Scirpus Hottentottus
Senecio lòngifolius
Selago corymbosa
Cheilanthus Capensis
Anthistiria imberbis
Passerinajiliformis
Cheilanthus pteroides
Cliffbrtia trifoliata
Rhus mucronatum
Erica pubescens
Lomaría Capensis
Leysera squarrosa
Salvia aurita ?
Hallia imbricata
Commelina Africana
Chironia lychnoides ?
Psoralea bracteata
Lapeyrousia corymbosa
Thesium strictum ?
Lobelia triquetra
Lobelia coronopifolia
Drosera Capensis
Lobelia lutea
Aster tenellus
Euphorbia tuberosa
Briza maxima
Roella ciliata
Serpicula repens
Wachendorfia hirsuta
Antirrhinum aphyUum.
And, on 6th April, —
Indigofera coriacea
Cassytha Jiliformis
Phylica stipularis,
&c.
D 2