436 VISITS TO MADAGASCAR. CHAP. XVI. noon, we travelled onward to Ambodinifo, and on the following day to Moramanga, a military station, where I found all my packages had previously arrived. Although a hundred and fifty miles or more from Tama- tave, I had already begun to collect a few plants, which I engaged a special bearer to carry; for I could not leave a new, or curious, or beautiful plant or flower behind, when I had an opportunity of taking it with me, with even a chance of getting it alive to the coast. On my way towards the wood cutter’s station at Alamazaotra, I obtained two new kinds of angrascums, several plants of the curiously-shaped capsule and yellow-flowered Angrcecum crassum, and the Angrcecum citratum; also a little purple-flowered tuberous plant, much like Amphorchis calcarata. The latter I found as I was passing along the edges of the water-courses on the mountain sides. But my greatest treasure was a large bulbed plant, of quite a new species; and as it is now growing well, and showing flowers, I hope it may be added to the already rich collections of orchids cultivated in our country. It had a large flower- stalk, a seed-pod the size of an orange, and the natives said the flower was scarlet and purple. I also obtained a new epi- phite, with bulbs and leaves resembling Oncidium arnpliatum, major, but of a different habit of growth. The weather was fine, and the descent from the high cen tral provinces so much easier than the ascent had been, that in the afternoon of the 1st of October we halted at Alamazao tra. I set off immediately into the forest, searching for plants, and returned at dusk with a few small bulbous orchids, and two small species of lycopodiums. Izaro and one of the bearers were suffering from fever. Our wants for the night—fuel and provisions—were liberally supplied by the officers at the station. By seven the following morning we resumed our journey, and soon entered the forest. The morning was bright, the atmo sphere clear and bracing. My attention was soon attracted
