MINERALOGY.--Terra-sombra, or umber, calcareous stone, potters’ earth, gold, silver, and sulphureous minerals. PHYTOLOGY.--Timber is more remarkable here for its fine quality than its abundance. From the parallel of 30° degrees southward, on the banks of the principal rivers only, are to be seen any forests of fine full-grown timber. Out of these latitudes, in this province, trees are rare and of small size. In the southern parts, they burn bones and the excrements of cattle, in consequence of the scarcity of wood. In the northern there are beautiful pine trees. ZOOLOGY.--Five nations held their dominion in this province. The Patos in the peninsula, and to the north of the lake which has taken their name; the Charruas, around the lake Mirim, and as far as the river Plate; the Minuânos, to the westward of the latter; the Tappes, from the lake Patos to the Uruguay; the Guaycanans, in the cattle plains, where they still reside at times. Of the first there is now no account, and they appear to be extinct, having most probably intermixed with other tribes. The Charrúas have retired into the centre of the country. The Minuânos occupy the lands to the westward of the Tappes from the Ibicui southward. Between the Minuânos and the Charrúas enmity perpetually exists, and frequently wars occur. They both use the lance, the arrow, and the sling, and are expert on horseback. Grapuetan is the name of the country where the Minuânos reside for a considerable part of the year. The Tappes in great numbers formerly lived under the influence of the Christian missions of the Uruguay. Amongst other species of wild quadrupeds, there are the _anta_, like a little cow without horns, as common in the West Indies, the deer, the ounce, the monkey, the _paca_, like a pig of two months old, the rabbit, _quati_, _cotia_, _tatous_, or armadillo, covered with scales, the _jaraticáca_, or squash, which the Spaniards and Portuguese call _forrilho_, the boar, the fox, with various kinds of dogs, _viz._ the _jaguaratirica_, _guará_, _guaraxain_, and the _jaguane_. The race of the European species of dog have here multiplied excessively, so that they live in the plains, where they subsist with others of the wild kind, without ever entering any village or dwelling. They are called _chimarrōe_ dogs. Immediately on the slaughter of cattle ceasing, and when in want of provisions, they assemble together in large bands, and encircle an ox, which they pursue with unceasing obstinacy until the animal falls with fatigue, and is devoured by them in a few hours. A horseman even runs a risk in the plains, when they are in a state of famine. No province in the Brazil abounds with such prodigious herds of cattle, horses, and mules. Goats are not very numerous. The sheep produce a fine wool.