Museum, to make two journeys to La Plata and prepare two beauti- 

 fully illustrated folio volumes on certain fossil mammals and birds of 

 the museum's collections. After his return to England, Lydekker pub- 

 lished in a scientific magazine an article on palaeontology in Argen- 

 tina, in which, without naming him, he severely and unjustly criticized 

 Ameghino's work. The latter made a dignified reply, reviewing tem- 

 perately, but effectively, the hasty and slipshod work which Lydekker 

 had done in La Plata. He complained that the distinguished visitor had 

 spent some weeks within a mile of his house and yet had neither vis- 

 ited him nor seen his collections, an examination of which would have 

 saved Lydekker from making many mistakes. 



When I was in London, on my way to Argentina, I asked Lydekker 

 why he had so studiously avoided Ameghino; his reply explains why 

 Moreno's absence was a fortunate circumstance for me. He said: "I 

 went out to La Plata on Moreno's invitation and at his expense, to do a 

 certain piece of work for him; if I had once visited Ameghino, it would 

 have involved an immediate breach with Moreno and I should have 

 had to drop the work and come home." After I had been some time in 

 La Plata and had come to know Ameghino well, he once complained 

 to me of the way in which Lydekker had treated him. Seeing that he 

 was really hurt, I thought it only right to repeat to him what our 

 British confrere had said to me on that subject. Ameghino's relief was 

 pathetic and he said: "I am extraordinarily glad to hear that, for I 

 thought that Lydekker had meant to put a deUberate slight on me. Now 

 I understand and am greatly relieved." In Moreno's absence, I was 

 able to maintain good relations with both sides and I needed both, as 

 essential to the work that I had to do. 



On June 20 I sailed from Southampton by a Royal Mail liner, on a 

 very long and tedious voyage, mitigated by some interesting stops, at 

 Corunna, Vigo, Lisbon, Pernambuco, Bahia and Rio Janeiro. The num- 

 ber of passengers was small, as is usually the case at that season, and 

 almost all were business men, without professional people or tourists. 

 A very attractive young American on board was an excellent illustration 

 of the absurd ways our manufacturers were then taking, to win trade 

 in South America. A syndicate of paper-makers had combined to send 

 this young man to Brazil and the Spanish-speaking countries, to solicit 

 orders. He spoke no language but his own and it is not surprising that, 

 as I afterwards heard, his mission was a failure. In certain lines, how- 

 ever, we were beginning to learn more of foreign trade and to go about 

 it in more intelligent fashion, but this had its drawbacks. I was de- 



