sometimes well manured. A Veronica
allied to V. agrestis, 2 or 3 Euphorbiaceae, a very well defined
Plantago, Hyacinthus, and a pretty Muscari, were among the novelties;
Juncus, Chara, Carex, occurred in some marshy spots. I was most struck
with the occurrence of at least two species of Lucerne, or Trefoil: wells
are common, and water abundant. The climate is delightful, temperature
49 degrees at 9 P.M. in a tent.

_26th_.--I ascended towards a snowy range to the ESE. of our camp,
crossing a cultivated portion of the valley extending to the gradual
slopes so universal between the level portion and the bases of the
mountains, and which are always covered with shingle, and occasionally
much cut up by watercourses. Turning a ridge I ascended up a ravine,
rather wide and easy at first, but becoming gradually narrow, and at last
difficult. On coming to its head I rambled some distance higher among
precipitous rocks, the ground generally covered with loose shingle,
giving bad footing. The rocks too were treacherous, often giving way
under the feet. I was still 1,000 feet from the summit, which is the
second range between our camp and the snow but which is not visible from
the camp. From it I saw the camp, and the valley of Pisheen beyond the
termination of the Tuckatoo range. Water boiled at 196 degrees 7',
making the height about 8,300 feet, in my (new) Woollaston instrument at
686; temperature of the air 46 degrees 5'. Nothing occurred to repay me
for the fatigue of the excursion. Junipers or cypress form the chief
arbusculous vegetation, but even these are scanty; they commence at 6,500
feet, and continue to the snow: Fraxinus occurred about 7,000 feet, and
another tree of which I could make nothing, it being out of flower and
leaf. Compositae were the prevailing vegetation; but of these, only the
remains were found, which were very fragrant. A large thorny Leguminous
shrub out of leaf, etc. looking much like a Rosa, Equisetoides, etc.; of
mosses, Weissia Templetonii, and Tortula, so that in these there is very
little variety; the debris of one Hepatica occurred.

At the foot of the mountains, the only place out of the valley where any
vegetation is to be found, Asphodelus, radicibus luteis, foliis
triangularibus, a fine plant coming into flower, Cytisus, Caragana,
Narcissus? Cruciferae, among them a small Draba, Cerasus pygmaeus,
Peganum, Salsoloid of Mumzil, Trichonema, Myosotis, Gentiana of Chiltera,
Buddl