M. d'Orbigni/s Travels in South America. 299 



part of which were already embarked for Europe. The other, 

 M. d'Orbigny, whose destination was South America, kept us 

 for two years in the greatest uneasiness, both for his own fate 

 and that of his collections ; and we have learned since his re- 

 turn, that without the assistance of every kind which he re- 

 ceived, in the most noble and generous manner, from the Go- 

 vernment and President of the Republic of Bolivia, his mission 

 would have proved nearly a failure. Let us rejoice, however, 

 that it has not been so, for he has arrived with seventeen cases 

 well replenished, besides those which he had previously sent, and 

 such as are yet to come. After having laid these before the 

 Directors of the Museum, who have already appreciated their 

 value, he submits to the judgment of the Academy the scientific 

 results that flow from them. 



Reports on the Phytological, Geological, and Geographical 

 portions, will be laid before you by the other members of the 

 Commission ; that which M. Isidore GeofFroy Saint- Hilaire and 

 myself have the honour to submit to you, treats of the Zoology, 

 and touches, though unequally, on all the points of the animal 

 series. We have scarcely need, I presume, to premise, that 

 among so many facts that have been ascertained, and new ani- 

 mals collected, our time will not permit us to do more than in- 

 dicate summarily the most curious and interesting points, fol- 

 lowing the MSS. of M. d'Orbigny, and drawings made on the 

 spot, while the animals were alive, or recently dead, — an advan- 

 tage not so often enjoyed as is to be wished. 



M. d'Orbigny's manuscripts on the molluscous animals a 



branch of the subject to which he is particularly attached are 



already completed, and ready for publication. In the other de- 

 partments they are less copious ; but the catalogues are com- 

 plete, and carefully prepared, with numbers corresponding to 

 those on the objects themselves ; so that each can be recognised 

 in relation to its locality and the circumstances of its discovery. 

 Often, too, there is a coloured figure of the whole animal or 

 having only such parts coloured as change after death. 



The drawings, in general, are carefully finished, particularly 

 those of thc.animals which M. d'Orbigny was unable to bring with 

 him, or which are liable to become distorted or discoloured by 

 the action of the liquor employed to preserve them. 



