Q5 1 2 Repiiles — fnnects. . 



the stones and thick moss. According to Lenz, it is also found in peat 

 moors, as proved by two specimens brought to him from Clausthal ; 

 but I should be inclined to think that these had wandered into the 

 moor from the neighbouring woods. As regards Saxony, it occurs 

 sparingly in the Rabenauer Grund, in the so-called Saxon Switzerland, 

 and in the Ei'zgebirge ; but appears to be entirely wanting in the 

 Lusatian mountains. It is frequent in the Thuringian Wald, the 

 Riesengebirge, the Henscheuer and Glalzergebirge. 



Edward Opel. 



Snakes in New Granada. — It perplexes me bow to go to work about tbe nigbt- 

 catcbiug business. Snakes are too abundant to render inarching in the dark about 

 bushes, &c., pleasant. " Latet angiiis in herlia," with a vengeance, here. In one 

 corner of tbe green box you will find the poison-fang of one fellow I extracted, as a 

 sample of the breed, name unknown. At the Mine, I have no doubt, multitudes of 

 moths would be forlbcotning, as it is in a deep ravine wiih thick forest on the sides 

 and our working stream at the bottom: it is there we catch everything almost. But 

 at night, except on beaten paths, one dare scarcely venture, and there are no bare tree 

 stems for "sugaring;" must try posts and felled trees, I suppose: am going to have 

 a trial anyhow ; also at "lantern work." Bui, so far as I have yet tried tbeni, neilbur 

 sugar nor lantern has much attraction, perhaps because not tried in tbe woods, which 

 I dare not do for fear of tbe snakes. The venomous snakes are not numerous; one 

 may live years without seeing one; but they are still sufficiently frequent to give one 

 a nip in tbe leg tbe first time one goes poking through tbe brush, wiiich accordingly 

 no one thinks of doing. I have not come into any danger, though, on horseback, 

 I have frequently slain tbe veiniin with my whip. Down in tbe plains they have rattle- 

 snakes, but they are not to be feared, provided you do not absolutely tread on them : 

 they are stupid and easy to settle. I was hunting for a bit of rope, not long since, in 

 a case which was with a lot more empty in tbe corridor, when out walked a snake 

 five feet four inclies in length, which we slew. — Henry Birchall, in a letter to his 

 brother, Edwin Birchall, Esq. 



Collecting Bogoth Pupilionidie. — Let me first explain, what none of you seem to 

 understand, that to talk of the insects that are sold in Europe as being from the 

 "Bogota district," is about as rational (or rather much less so) as to speak of a col- 

 lection of British insects as being from the " London district." Whatever is found 

 goes, as a lule, to tbe capital for sale, and thence to Europe; but the Bogota district 

 itself, so far as known, is poor. Nathalis Planta, Colias Dimera and a dark brown 

 Hipparchia are tbe principal butterflies. Bare swampy plains and barer stony hills 

 are not prolific of butterflies generally. Woods there are none, scarcely any trees, and 

 of rich underwood there is none either. Riding over the plains, I found Nathalis 

 Planta in extraordinary abundance: I dismounted two or three times, and secured a 

 few, by way of impressing them with tbe fact that there was "a chiel amang them 

 lakiu' notes :" they seem to enjoy nothing but high winds, and are always having their 



