332 Letters, Extracts from Coirespondence, Announcements, S^c. 



Mr. Wallace's last letters (dated " Batchian, Jan. 28th, 1859") 

 announce that he has heard of a second and finer species of 

 Paradise-bird in that island. Also that he has sent off speci- 

 mens of the newly-discovered Scmiopta-a wallacii * by the Over- 

 land Mail to Mr. Stevens, so that they may be very shortly 

 expected in this country f. 



Mr. Eraser's collections are still detained in Ecuador by the 

 blockade of Guayaquil. His last letters (dated "Trugincho 

 above Puellaro, April 18th ") say, — 



" Guayaquil is, and has been strictly blockaded for now eight 

 months by the Peruvian fleet, the mail alone being allowed to 

 pass ; and it is said that the population is suffering from the 

 scarcity and high price of provisions. 



" On the 22nd of March we had two shocks of an earth- 

 quake ; it occurred about 8*30 a.m. I received it in Calacali ; 

 it was quite momentary, and being in my quartero at the time, I 

 can only say it was indescribable (I had experienced two in 

 Malta in 1846 or 1847, and was much of the same opinion 

 then), — a noise, sensation, and confusion ; the one followed the 

 other so quickly that there was not any time for reflection until 

 all was over, and the mischief done. On going into the patio or 

 yard to see what was the matter, I found the adjoining quarter 

 or room thrown down, and the rest of the building so cracked 

 and shaken as to be in a ruinous state, except my solitary 

 quarter, which alone escaped with very slight damage. The 

 church-door was thrown down, but I did not see or hear of 

 further mischief in that pueblo. San Antonio, which I passed 

 through the same day, had both churches thrown down, but I 

 did not hoar of further damage. 



" The air, en camino, was filled with clouds of fine dust from 

 the slips on the mountain sides. 



" Descending the mountain to the river, below Perucho, the 

 earth had slipped over the road in three places, and we had to 



* See antea, p. 210, and P. Z. S. 185.9, p. 129. 



t Since writing the above, these birds have arrived. We hope to give 

 full jiarticulars about them in our next Number. 



