ROOSEVELT’S “ THROUGH THE BRAZILIAN WILDERNESS” 65 
down in the field, can impart. Add to 
this the personality of the writer, his 
wide interests, exceptionally varied ex- 
periences and the knowledge of an expert 
in many lines of natural history research, 
and the elements are happily all present 
for the production of a book of just the 
kind the author has given us. The 
excellent illustrations with which it 
abounds add greatly to its value, graphi- 
cally reproducing scenes and animals 
mentioned in the text. 
The journey down the River of Doubt 
tory collector, and no museum in Amer- 
ica possessed specimens of the birds and 
mammals of the country visited. The 
five hundred mammals and two thousand 
five hundred birds obtained, thus add 
enviable riches to the resources of the 
Museum. They prove not only to con- 
tain a considerable number of species 
new to science, particularly among the 
mammals, but also all are new to the 
American Museum as well as to the avail- 
able material for research in America. 
The species that are not new are of quite 
Capybaras of Brazil are pig-like rodents, as large as small sheep, which swim and dive with great 
facility, often hiding under the water lilies of the pond with only the nostrils at the surface. 
If the expedition shot a capybara and it fell into the water, it 
their greatest enemy is the jaguar. 
Perhaps 
was devoured in a very few moments by piranhas, the cannibal fishes 
proved one of great danger and much 
hardship, and only the fitness of the 
party for difficult undertakings saved 
the expedition from complete disaster. 
All this is simply told, such experiences 
being accepted as part of the day’s work 
in the exploration of unknown wilds. 
The physiographic and natural his- 
tory observations so well set forth in the 
narrative are immensely supplemented 
by the large collections secured and 
safely transported to New York. Only 
small portions of the country traversed 
had ever been visited by a natural his- 
as much importance as those that are so, 
since they throw new light upon the 
faunal characteristics of an almost un- 
known country, and upon the geographic 
ranges of species previously known only 
from elsewhere. The field notes of the 
collectors, Cherrie and Miller, are per- 
haps almost as valuable an asset to 
science as are the specimens to which 
they relate. We may therefore well 
congratulate Colonel Roosevelt on the 
outcome of his expedition from all points 
of view, and the American Museum for 
its modest share in the undertaking. 
