10 ]\Ir. G. C. Taylor on Birds collected 



25. Montague's Harrier. {Circus cineraceus.) 



Less common than the last species, but not rare in Epirus in 



winter. The great marsh of Livitazza is a favourite haunt of 



this Harrier. 



[To be continued.] 



II. — On Birds collected or observed in the Republic of Honduras, 

 with a short Account of a Journey aci'oss that country from 

 the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. By George Cavendish 

 Taylor, F.R.G.S. 



I PURPOSE giving some account of the birds collected or ob- 

 served during a journey across the Central American Isthmus, 

 from Fonseca Bay, on the Pacific Ocean, to Omoa, on the At- 

 lantic, made in the winter of 1857-8, in company with Lieut. - 

 Colonel Stanton, C.B., of the Royal Engineers, Mr. Amory 

 Edwards, of New York, and others. 



But before entering into a detailed account of the birds met 

 with, I think it will be advisable to give such a description of 

 our route, and of the country passed through, as may serve to 

 render intelligible many allusions made in the subsequent notes. 

 On meeting Colonel Stanton in New York, he informed me 

 that he was going, under the direction of the Foreign Office, to 

 Honduras, to report upon the feasibility of a scheme for con- 

 structing a railroad between the Gulf of Fonseca, on the Pacific, 

 and Porto Caballos, on the Atlantic. To assist in the survey, 

 three Sappers of the Royal Engineer Corps had been sent with 

 him, one of whom was Corporal Church, lately returned, in 

 company with Dr. Barth, from Kuka and Lake Tchad in Central 

 Africa. Church carried a photographic apparatus with him, and 

 made a large collection of photographs during our progress 

 through the country. 



Mr. Amory Edwards was connected with the promoters of the 

 railroad, and having been previously in Honduras, and speaking 

 Spanish fiuently, was of the greatest service in carrying out the 

 objects of the expedition. I hardly know how we should have 

 got on without him. He was also of great assistance to mc in 

 my ornithological researches, as he had a taste for natural his- 



