Letters, Announcements, ^c. 357 



of British Guiana, oue day^s journey from Roraima (cf. Ibis^ 

 1882, p. 76, and 1883, p. 203). 



" Eoraima, Oct. 15, 1883. 



" I have been away from my camp for six weeks near 

 Eoraima, and have ascended the slope twice to the foot of 

 the vertical rock, which is over 7000 feet in height ; so that 

 the height of the mountain must be nearly 9000 feet. I have 

 made a lot of observations for the R. G. S. ; but these are 

 too long to copy now, as the Indian who takes this letter 

 down starts today. I shall be here probably six months 

 longer, and shall then move down to the river Caramang, 

 where I may stay three or four months collecting. But I 

 shall not go on to the Merume Mountains, but come straight 

 on from Caramang to Camasaca, and thence to Bartica 

 Grove. My collection up to the present time is a very fine 

 one, I have got over thirty species more to be added to the 

 birds of British Guiana. I have bought four ' woodskins/ 

 which are stationed on the Atapunam, and ray two boats are 

 on the Curubury river; so that I have kept open the means 

 of getting back. But you must not be anxious if you do not 

 receive letters, as h is very difficult to get them sent. I have 

 got sj)ecimens of Campylopterus hyperythrus, Lophornis pavo- 

 ninus, Diglossa major, and another beautiful little Lophornis, 

 with a chestnut-brown crown and spangled whiskers; likewise 

 a few more males oi Heliodoxa xanthogonys ; but this is a rare 

 bird. The female of L. pavoninus is a very interesting bird, 

 beautifully speckled on the throat and breast. I am very 

 busy with the butterflies now. When I arrived here I put 

 up a very large house, just below where I was collecting last 

 time, near a wood, as the Indians told me I should get no 

 leaves for thatching nearer to Roraima, which was true, I 

 found. I waited some months till the birds were in good 

 plumage, and then went on to Roraima; it is one day's 

 journey. I am not very high here, and it was not more than 

 3700 feet when I got to the foot of Roraima. I found some 

 Indian huts there, and two of these the Indians gave up to 

 me. The huts were on the Savannah (height about 3000 



