242 ELEVEN WEEKS IN NORTH-EASTERN BRAZIL. 



P. Z. S. 1881, all these three structures are present, variously developed, in the genera 

 p. Too. . Q q ues fjj ollj together with at least a rudiment of a membrana semilunaris. 

 If a bird existed with its tracheal rings in no way modified at the bifur- 

 cation, with the bronchi, in their course thence forward to the lungs, 

 completely encircled by tracheiform rings of simple form, and with no 

 vocal cords or semilunar membrane, it might be said with truth that in 

 such a form " there is no lower larynx." But, so far as I know, no 

 existing bird possesses so simple an arrangement, though some of the 

 Cathartida) approach such a type very nearly. 



Ibis, 1H81, 42. ELEVEN WEEKS IN NORTH-EASTERN BRAZIL.* 

 p. 312. 



HAVING been able during the past summer to gratify a wish that every 

 Ibis, 1881, naturalist must feel more or less strongly to visit personally some part 

 of the tropics by making a short excursion to the provinces of Pernam- 

 buco and Parahyba do Norte in Brazil, some account of my ornithological 

 doings there may be acceptable to my brother members of the B. 0. LT. 



Although Pernambuco is situated nearer to Europe than any other 

 important city in South America, and is, indeed, the first port usually 

 touched at in that continent by the various lines of mail-steamers to the 

 Brazilian Empire and River Plate, very little appears to be known as 

 regards any branches of its natural history. Mr. Darwin was there for 

 a few days on his homeward voyage in the ' Beagle,' and has given us, in 

 his * Journal 'f, some account of it, but he says nothing about its zoology. 

 Swainson, in 1817, visited this part of Brazil J and collected some bird- 

 skins, some of which are now, I believe, in the Cambridge Museum. 

 Collections of bird-skins made in this locality have also from time to time 

 come into the hands of Parzudaki and other dealers, but nothing, I 

 believe, has been recorded of the avifauna of the district. Pernambuco 

 being thus, as was pointed out to me by Mr. Sclater, comparatively little 

 known and easily accessible from this country, I determined on making a 

 short trip there. I left England accordingly on June 24th, in the Royal 

 Mail Steamer * Guadiana,' and arrived at Lisbon five days afterwards. 

 Here I landed for a few hours, and of course called on the well-known 

 Portuguese naturalist, Professor Barboza du Bocage. Unfortunately, 



Ducks, Chauna, and many other noisy birds should be voiceless. As regards the 

 Ratitaj, the statement made by Meckel that they are mute or nearly so (1. c. p. 571), is, 

 I believe, equally groundless. I am assured by Mr. Bartlett that all, except perhaps 

 the Apteryx, have the power of making considerable noises. As regards the Ostrich, 

 indeed, Livingstone states that it is frequently difficult to distinguish its bellowing 

 from the roaring of the Lion. 



* Ibis, 1881, pp. 312-362. t Nat. Voy. (1870) pp. 497-499. 



| Lardner's Cab. Cycl. " Tax. and Biogr. of Nat." p. 344. 



