01- observed in the Republic of Honduras, 6jC. 11 



tory, and during his former residence in Honduras had made 

 a considerable collection of birds. 



Colonel Stanton proposed to nie to accompany him, and as 

 so favourable an opportunity of visiting a little-known country 

 was rarely to be met with, I immediately accepted the offer. 



\\c left New York by different routes. Mr. Edwards and the 

 Sappers went by sea. Colonel Stanton and I descended the Mis- 

 sissippi to New Orleans, and joined the former at Havana, whence 

 we proceeded to Aspinwall. At Havana I first observed the 

 Frigate Pelican [Frcf/ata aqui/a). We crossed the Isthmus from 

 Aspinwall to Panama by the railroad. The line passes through 

 some of the finest forest scenery I have met with during my stay in 

 the tropics. I there saw Parrots, Macaws, and Humming-birds 

 in a state of nature. The jungle gi'ows close up to the edge 

 of the railroad, and the trees often overhang the line. Wherever 

 the train stopped, I observed Humming-birds among the flowers 

 and trees. Monkeys are abundant in the forests ; but I was told 

 that since the line was opened they seldom showed themselves in 

 its vicinity, being, no doubt, alarmed by the noise of the trains. 



The day after our arrival at Panama we sailed in the screw- 

 steamer ' Columbus ' for La Union, in the Gulf of Fonseca, where 

 we were to land. The voyage occupied the best part of six 

 days. We stopped at Punta Arenas, at San Juan del Sur, 

 and Realejo. At the first- mentioned place we were delayed 

 fully twenty-four hours, xit each place I went ashore, and 

 did not fail to see Doves, Macaws, Parakeets, Anis {Crotophaga 

 sulcirostris), Cuckoos {Pimja), and various others of the com- 

 mon species inhabiting Central America. The sea was uni- 

 formly calm during our voyage. I observed a great number 

 of Yellow Snakes*, about 3 feet long, basking on the sur- 

 face of the water. I also saw some Flying Fishes [Exocoetus). 

 On our voyage from Havana to Aspinwall the latter were very 

 numerous. Large numbers of them would rise from the water 

 near the bows of the ship and scatter themselves in all directions. 



* All the Sea-snakes at present known to science are confined to the 

 Eastern seas. It would be very desirable to procure specimens of these 

 Western Sea-snakes, as they would doubtless be of new species, and ])ro- 

 bably of a different form from the Hydrophiidai of the East. — Ed. 



