Letters, Announcements, ^c. 393 



of St. Petersburg ; and I think a few extracts, translated by 

 Mr, F. C. Craemers, will amuse and interest stay-at-home 

 members of the B. O. U. After alluding to one or two 

 former travellers, the writer comes to " Messrs. John Brown 

 & Co./' of whom he reports as follows : — 



" The principal object of the foreigners appears to have 

 been the formation of a large collection of skins of all species 

 of Birds and Mammals, and also to obtain a large series of 

 eggs. They showed such great carefulness in their work that 

 they minutely examined the smallest difiPerences between spe- 

 cimens of one and the same species, and used every endeavour 

 to obtain examples of all the species and varieties .... The 

 inquisitive and naive Petchora people relate that before 

 shooting a bird, the English travellers carefully examined it 

 through a telescope or some other optical instrument, then 

 they fired. They spent several months in the Petchora 

 country, and were evidently satisfied with their expedition, 

 having obtained nearly 1000 specimens of birds and beasts 

 and also a great number of eggs — very solid material for a 

 scientific zoologist. They also discovered a new species of 

 bird (belonging, if I mistake not, to the Sandpiper tribe), 

 which according to them, does not occur in Europe or Ame- 

 rica, rich as they are in animal life. 



"Judging from the statements of the people, these foreigners 

 seem to have made a very favourable impression by their 

 liberal payment for specimens collected for them, and by the 

 good works in which they appear to have distinguished them- 

 selves. It is said that they had a travelling medicine-chest 

 with them, with which they willingly and gratuitously cured 

 the sick ; and so earnest were they in this, that whenever they 

 heard of any one being ill they hastened to render medical 

 aid, unmindful of either time or weather. '^ 



It is very satisfactory to find that the good name of the 

 brotherhood was so well supported by " John Brown & Co. •/' 

 but the writer goes on to regret that the investigation of the 

 country should be left to strangers. He points out that the 

 trade and produce of the western parts of the Government of 

 Archangel is already mainly in foreign hands ; and, fearing a 

 similar result in the north-east, he concludes : — 



