428 Letters, Announcements, §c. 



on a visit. This ivas the only bird of the kind taken home 

 by Mr. Bills last year. 



" How Mr. Bills could think of stating that the bird had 

 been caught on the shores of any lake in New Zealand, he 

 can best explain, as I have no doubt that he knew its whole 

 history." 



I remain, &c. &c, 



F. W. Hutton. 



The following extracts arc from letters received from our 

 Editor :— 



" Guatemala, 20th June. 



"Since we arrived here I have had no opportunities of 

 collecting birds, as Guatemala lies in the middle of an open 

 plain, and we have not yet secured horses so as to be able to 

 make excursions. The only bird- work I have done has been 

 overhauling a small museum kept by the Sociedad Economica 

 de Guatemala, and where they are trying to make a collection 

 of all the natural-history products of this country. The lead- 

 ing spirit is Don Juan Rodriguez, who has done some good 

 work for foreign collectors of Coleoptera, and who is a very 

 excellent fellow. Of course the society have a good deal to 

 do before they can boast of any thing like a complete collec- 

 tion of birds ; but I found a few interesting species in their 

 cases. They have a Dendrmca I believe to be Coues's D. 

 gratia, which I never obtained myself, and a specimen of 

 Threnetes ruckeri, also new to Guatemala. I saw also a mottled 

 I specimen of Buteo albonotatus. 



" I have had no time yet to look up any of my old shooting- 

 places at Duerias ; but I hear that considerable changes have 

 taken place, and that a large amount of land has been put 

 under cultivation. The slopes of the Volcan de Fuego, which 

 in former times were all brushwood, are now cultivated for 

 corn crops. The upper forests remain much the same, so far 

 as I could see. However, I hope to look them up shortly." 



"Guatemala, August 5th. 

 ~f- "Two days ago I got several specimens of Panyptil a mela- 



