Letters, Extracts from Correspondence, Notices, S^c. 197 



Alta Vera Paz, as it is called, of which Coban is the principal 

 town. This so differs in its contom*, soil, and productions, as 

 to render it sufficiently distinct from the last division, though 

 also a cold district. Of birds, some are especially confined to 

 each of these divisions, but by far the greater number are com- 

 mon to two or more, and many to all. They seem more di- 

 stinctly defined by the botanical productions ; Palms, the Cieba, 

 and mahogany, being characteristic trees of the coast-forests; 

 Mimosa and Cacti of the second division, evergreen oaks of the 

 table-lands, and the trees called in Coban Pimienta, Liquidam- 

 ber, and Palo Santo, illustrating the last. 



" My present collection of snakes, lizards, frogs, &c., is not 

 large, but I intend sending what I have, also the few mammals 

 and butterflies, so that I may clear out everything this month, 

 ready for a fresh start, as in the beginning of February I go 

 again to Coban, intending to collect a little on the Motagua on 

 my way. At Coban I mean to shoot some Quesals, and go on, 

 if possible, to Cajabon ; after that, to the mines of Alotepeque 

 and Copan, and perhaps on to Tequicicalpa in Honduras. 



" I cannot find any land-shells, though I have looked for them 

 frequently ; all I have in that way are some two or three species 

 of freshwater shells from the Lake of Dueiias.^' 



Mr. Wallace's last communications are dated Amboyna, Oct. 

 22, 1859, whence he has sent us the valuable contributions to 

 our pages which we have the pleasure of inserting in our pre- 

 sent Number. He further says, — 



" I have just packed up a large collection of Gilolo and 

 Ternate birds, as well as those from Menado. The former 

 are a much gayer lot, comprising a fine series of Pitta maxima, 

 a new Megapodius, I think, handsomely banded on the back, 

 and a Semioptera, which differs a little from the Batchian spe- 

 cimens in the much greater length of the breast plumes and 

 other details. Is the Calcenas the true nicobarica ? If so, 

 it is a unique case of a true land-bird ranging through the 

 whole Archipelago, and beyond its limits from the Andamans 

 to New Guinea. I do not know where Bonaparte got his in- 



