us, which may be profitably substituted to those brought from Europe[1].
Such are the advantages which the study of botany holds out to the convenience, the intelligence, and the innocent recreation of man. The Peruvian territory is replete with the productions of the vegetable kingdom; and when the acknowledged talents of the native Peruvians, in whatever regards natural history [2], are considered, there is not any reason to doubt but that every progress will be made in botanic researches.
A fact connected with the botany of Peru ought not to be passed over in this place. It is well known that the animals named llamas, pacos, vicunas, and huanacos, are natives of the lofty mountains of Peru; but a singular particular, which has not been adverted to by any naturalist, is, that although the above mountains extend, under the denomination of Cordilleras, to ten degrees of north latitude, with pretty nearly the same proportions of elevation, cold, &c. these animals do not pass from the line towards the north, and are consequently not to be found in the provinces of Quito, Santa Fé, &c. where the climate, of the mountains at least, is ana-
- ↑ In Peru there are several kinds of hyperlcum, senna, valerian, &c. which are employed with efficacy by the Indians in several of their establishments in Sierra, but which are rejected in the Capital, where a blind preference is given to those imported from distant countries.
- ↑ Franco Davila, a native of Peru, rendered himself celebrated in Paris by his cabinet of natural history, the descriptive catalogue of which, published by him, is justly appreciated by the learned world. After a residence of twenty years in the French capital, he passed to Madrid, by order of Charles III. of Spain, and there founded the cabinet of natural history, of which he had the direction until his death.
