Notes of a Journey in Peru. 173 



caefolia and rapunculoides abound in Hedemarcken. Viola 

 mirabilis also occurs in this district. 



The gneiss reappears near Eidsvold, and continues to 

 within a few miles of Christiania. The singularly interest- 

 ing geology of that neighbourhood is fully described by Von 

 Buch in his Travels. 



The capital of Norway is a peculiarly favourable station 

 for the naturalist. The flora of its neighbourhood can vie 

 with that of any university town in Europe : the entomolo- 

 gist may there exert with success all his beetle and butterfly 

 catching propensities, and the student of ichthyology, of the 

 Mollusca, and the Crustacea, will find ample occupation 

 amongst the inhabitants of that fiord from which Muller 

 drew so many of his discoveries. In its university he will 

 meet with Esmarck, Hanstein, Rathke, and Blyth, all men 

 imbued with the true spirit of the naturalist, and glad to 

 render him every assistance in their power. 



Edinburgh. [Received, Feb. 23. 1836.] 



Art. II. A cursory Notice of Objects, natural and otherwise, ob- 

 served in the Course of a Journey in the Interior of Peru. By 

 Mr. Andrew Mathews, A.L.S., Travelling Collector of Na- 

 tural Objects. 



As it is not an every-day occurrence to receive a letter from 

 this part of the world, I write to you by an opportunity 

 which has just offered to forward some letters by the Maranon 

 to Para. 



During my journey down the river Huallaga, and a short 

 stay in Tarapota, I have added much to my collections in 

 animals, birds, insects, snakes, and land tortoises. On leaving 

 Cuchero, the journey for the first three days is on foot, over 

 immense hills, and along the border of the river, but through 

 an almost impenetrable forest, to where the river of Monson 

 joins the Huallaga (above this, to the river Cayumba, the 

 river is rapid and dangerous). At the junction of the river 

 Monson we took a canoe manned with six Indians, and in 

 three days reached the pueblo (small village) of Uchiza. To 

 this place the river is broad and deep, with two or three 

 mal-pasos (bad passes or rapids), but, with a little dexterity, 

 not dangerous. At Uchiza we took another canoe (but with 

 fewer hands, as the river is wider and more level) to Tocache, 

 which is only one day. At Tocache we had to take a larger 

 canoe, with seven Indians, as the river is more confined and 

 rapid between hills. The distance to Sion from the last- 



o 3 



