)EPARTURE FOR BRAZIL. 629 



I leave him only six out of our usual staff of 

 assistants. In the second place, I intend to 

 make a special study of the habits, metamor- 

 phoses, anatomy, etc., of the Amazonian fishes. 

 Finally, I dream sometimes of an ascension of 

 the Andes, if I do not find myself too old and 

 too heavy for climbing. I should like to see 

 if there were not also large glaciers in this 

 chain of mountains, at the period when the 

 glaciers of the Alps extended to the Jura. . . . 

 But this latter part of my plan is quite uncer- 

 tain, and must depend in great degree upon 

 our success on the Amazons. Accompanied 

 as I am with a number of aides naturalistes, 

 we ought to be able among us to bring to- 

 gether large collections, and even to add du- 

 plicates, which I can then, on my return, dis- 

 tribute to the European Museums, in exchange 

 for valuable specimens. 



We leave next week, and I hope to write 

 you from Rio a letter which will reach you 

 about the date of my birthday. A steamer 

 leaves Brazil once a month for England. If 

 my arrival coincides with her departure you 

 shall not be disappointed in this. 

 With aU my heart. 



Your Louis. 



