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Show GENERAL SUMMARY OF THE CONTENTS. Preface to the First Editior~r-p. v. top. vi. Preface to the Second and Third Editions-p. vii. top. ix. Note by the Translator-p. xi. Steppes and Deserts-p. 25 to p. 42. Coast chain and mountain valleys of Caraccas. Lake of Tacarigua. Contrast in respect to the luxuriance of vegetation between those districts and the treeless plains. The steppe regarded as the bottom of a Mediterranean Sea; broken strata a little higher than the rest of the plain called "banks." General phenomena of extenf'ive plains; the Heaths of Europe, the Pampas and the Llanos of South America, the African Deserts, and the Steppes of Northern Asia. Different characters of the vegetable covering of the surface. Animal life. Pastoral nations, and their invasive migrations . . . 25-28 Description of the South American plains and prairies-their extent and climate; the latter dependent on the outline of the coasts, and on the outline of the hypsometric conformation of the New Continent. Comparison with the plains and deserts of Africa "'29-33 Original absence of pastoral life in America. Food furnished by the Mauritia palm; the Guaranis' huts raised on trees . . 33-36 Since the discovery of America, the Llanos have become more habitaable. Extraordinary increase in the number of wild cattle, horses, asses, and mules. Description of the season of extreme dryness, and of the rainy season. Appearance of the surface of the ground and of the sky. Life of the animals-their sufferings, their conflicts; power of adaptation with which certain animals and plants are endowed. Jaguars, crocodiles, and electric fishes. Unequal conflict between Gymnoti and horses 36-40 Retrospeetive glance at the countries surrounding the Steppes and Deserts. Forest wildernesses of the Orinoco and the Amazons. Indian tribes separated by the wonderful diversity of their languages and differences of their habits ; their hardships, and frequent variance be- |