Transcriber's Note:
The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
Cocoeiro Palm
A
JOURNEY IN BRAZIL.
PREFACE.
In the winter of 1865 it became necessary for me, onaccount of some disturbance of my health, to seek a changeof scene and climate, with rest from work. Europe wasproposed; but though there is much enjoyment for anaturalist in contact with the active scientific life ofthe Old World, there is little intellectual rest. TowardBrazil I was drawn by a lifelong desire. After the deathof Spix, when a student of twenty years of age, I hadbeen employed by Martius to describe the fishes theyhad brought back with them from their celebrated Brazilianjourney. From that time, the wish to study thisfauna in the regions where it belongs had been anever-recurring thought with me; a scheme deferred forwant of opportunity, but never quite forgotten. The factthat the Emperor of Brazil was deeply interested in allscientific undertakings, and had expressed a warm sympathywith my efforts to establish a great zoölogicalmuseum in this country, aiding me even by sendingcollections made expressly under his order for the purpose,was an additional incentive. I knew that the headof the government would give me every facility for myinvestigations. Nevertheless, tempting as was the prospectviof a visit to Brazil, as a mere vacation it had littlecharm for me. Single-handed, I could make slight useof the opportunities I should have; and though the excursionmight be a pleasant one for myself, it wouldhave no important result for science. I could not forgetthat, had I only the necessary means, I might make collectionson this journey which, whenever our buildingcould be so enlarged