WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 279 



head-quarters in Mibiri creek, where I finished the 

 cayman. 



Here the remaining time was spent in collecting birds, 

 and in paying particular attention to their haunts and 

 economy. The rainy season having set in, the weather 

 became bad and stormy ; the lightning and thunder were 

 incessant : the days cloudy, and the nights cold and misty. 

 I had now been eleven months in the forests, and collected 

 some rare insects, tw-o hundred and thirty birds, two land 

 tortoises, five armadillas. two large serpents, a sloth, an 

 ant-bear, and a cayman. 



I left the wilds and repaired to Georgetown to spend a 

 few days with Mr. E. Edmonstone previous to embarking 

 for Europe. I must here return my sincerest thanks to 

 this w^orthy gentleman for his many kindnesses to me ; 

 his friendship was of the utmost service to me, and he 

 never failed to send me supplies up into the forest by 

 every opportunity. 



I embarked for England, on board the Dee West-India- 

 man, commanded by Captain Grey. 



Sir Joseph Banks had often told me, he hoped that I 

 would give a lecture in public, on the new mode I liad 

 discovered of preparing specimens in natural history for 

 museums. I always declined to do so, as I desjDaired of 

 ever being able to hit upon a proper method of doing 

 quadrupeds ; and I was aware that it would have been 

 an imperfect lecture to treat of birds only. I imparted 

 what little knowledge I was master of, at Sir Joseph's, to 

 the unfortunate gentlemen who went to Africa to explore 

 the Congo ; and that was all that took place in the shape 

 of a lecture. Xow that 1 had hit upon the way of doing 

 quadrupeds, I drew up a little plan on board the Dee, 

 which I trusted would have been of service to naturalists ; 

 and by proving to them the superiority of the new plan, 



