The lake Ibera, otherwise Caracares, is pretty considerable, and approximates the left margin of the Paranna; it has some islands, and its neighbouring lands are marshy. Charts do not accord as to its size: some give it one hundred and fifty miles in length, and little less in width; others, ninety in length, and twenty in width; they agree that it communicates with the Uruguay by the Mirinay, and with the Paraguay by the Correntes, which empties itself near thirty-five miles below St. Luzia. It is also said to communicate in two parts with the Paranna. The lake Jagapé, which is large, and surrounded with woods, is near the northern bank of the Paranna, about sixty miles above the town of Itaty. PHYTOLOGY.--The cedar, which is of various sorts, the _páu d’arco_, (bow wood,) sassafras, with many other trees of fine timber for building; the pine tree, and those which afford a resin denominated the blood of the dragon, and the oil of _cupahiba_; the ipecacuanha, jalap, rhubarb, and other medicinal plants; the _opuncia_, pine-apple, orange, banana, and _mamoe_, of which last tree there are male and female; the male bears no fruit but only flowers, the female bears fruit and no flowers. The vegetable _matte_ is a large shrub or bush, with leaves similar to an orange tree, and tastes of mallows; it is said the serra Maracaju produces the best. It is usual not to wait for the leaves falling, but they are plucked, and then dried by some of the most approved methods, generally upon hides between two fires. This plant is taken almost like tea, and the use of this beverage has prevailed from time immemorial amongst the Indians of the northern part of this province. It was they who introduced it amongst the first inhabitants of Assumption. ZOOLOGY.--This province is prodigiously abundant in cattle, horses, and mules; sheep are numerous, but goats few. There is a sufficiency of hogs for the consumption of the inhabitants. Amongst the wild quadrupeds are remarked the ounce, the deer, the monkey, the fox, the rabbit, the cat, the _tamandua_, _quaty_, _zorrilha_, or squash, the _tatous_, or armadillo, _paca_, _cotia_, and the boar. Of birds, the emu ostrich, the _seriema_, _jaburu_, _cegonha_, _garca_, _mutun_, _jacu_, _colhereira_, _urubu_, _tucano_, _rola_, troquaze pigeons, the parrot, _codornize_, or quail, _beija-flor_, or humming-bird, the _guiraponga_, and the partridge. There are also a diversity of wild ducks and geese. The principal _povoações_ are, Assumpçao, or Assumption, Correntes, Coruguaty, and Villa Rica.