FUNGUSES. Various funguses are found both in the woods and plains, but no one would venture either to touch or taste them. Verengena, called by the Latins melongena, tomates, which the Germans call apples of Paradise, and other condiments of this kind, better known to Spaniards than Germans, are frequently seen in gardens and at table. The Indians like sweet things, and detest radishes, mustard-seed, garden-nasturtium, lettuces sprinkled with vinegar, in short, every thing acrid, acid, or bitter. The Abipones, who, leading a vagrant life, never take the pains to sow, nor find occasion to reap, subsist, like birds and beasts, on whatever their predatory habits supply, or liberal nature gratuitously offers to hunters in the plains, woods, rivers, and lakes. If the surface of the earth yields no food, they seek under the earth, or the waters, for esculent roots, of which they call some neeyeka, others hakamìk, and others again leèkate. There is also a kind of very small bean, which they call nauvirgila, and which is commonly found in the woods. These beans, when boiled, though not very savoury to the palate, serve in some measure to fill the bellies of the Indians. WHEAT. The soil of Paraguay, particularly in the territories of Buenos-Ayres, Monte-Video, and St. Iago of the Tucumans, is extremely fruitful of wheat. It is nevertheless no less true than surprizing that greatest part of the Spanish nation never taste wheaten bread, to avoid the difficulty of sowing and grinding this grain: for you never see any thing like a water-mill here. The mill-stone is turned about by horses, in some places by the wind. I saw but two wind-mills of this kind, and those were in the city of Buenos-Ayres. European wheat differs from that of Paraguay, the latter having a very short stalk, but a larger ear, containing larger grains. The Guaranies cut off the ears alone with a common knife, and leave the stalks in the field, where they are afterwards burnt as they stand, as the ashes fertilize the soil better than any other manure. In every Guarany town as much wheat is sown, as is thought sufficient for one year. The grains of wheat are pressed out of the ear by the feet of horses, one or two hundred of which are driven round an area surrounded by hedges, wherein the ears are strewed on the floor. OATS. Oats are not even known by name in Paraguay. PETRIFICATION OF WOOD AND HORN. Immense pieces of petrified wood are sometimes seen in the river Parana. Cows' horns also, which are mottled with various colours like marble, and when rubbed against steel emit fire like flint, are often transformed in this way. HOT SPRINGS.