The Zoologist— June, 1870. 2173 



of geological specimens, and the museum is rich in Mineralogy, and 

 still more so in Concholog}'. Moreover, there is evidently an active 

 spirit of research, and a determination to increase the collections, 

 kindled amongst the directors, fostered probably in no slight degree 

 by emulation of the rapid strides in advance which the museum of 

 the capital is making every day under the active superintendence of 

 Professor Barbosa du Bocage. Then, the building furnished by the 

 University is all that collectors could desire, and ample space is 

 provided for the several departments ; so that, in all likelihood, the 

 museum of Coiuibra will be in a short time very considerably 

 increased; and with the advance of scientific taste, we may hope 

 that most of the wretched and grotesque deformities which at present 

 represent the various branches of the animal kingdom will be abolished, 

 and more correct specimens be substituted in .their stead. For cer- 

 tainly from the present examples the student in Natural History could 

 carry away nothing but erroneous notions; and as to anatomical 

 structure, that must have been wholly ignored, and lost sight of by 

 those who arranged the collection as it now stands." — p. 112. 



The second quotation I make relates to the lofty and rugged 

 mountains of Gerez, which are allowed to form the wildest, the most 

 inaccessible, and most romantic portion of the kingdom. " There are 

 no guides through these inhospitable regions, neither are there inns, 

 or chalets, or human habitations of any kind where the traveller can 

 procure rest and refreshment. He must be a practiced and enthu- 

 siastic mountaineer, and possessed of an adventurous spirit, who cares 

 to push on amidst these unfrequented mountains and explore their 

 almost unknown heights." Our traveller did not so explore them, but 

 he gives the following brief sketch of their inhabitants. 



" To the sportsman, however, and, above all, to the naturalist, who 

 is strong and hardy enough to scorn all creature comforts, and ta 

 brave the elements, and delights to rough it in the true spirit of a 

 mountaineer, these untrodden wilds must be quite enchanting. For 

 here is the home of the wolf, which is still very abundant in Portugal ; 

 so numerous, indeed, in some parts of this country, that the inhabitants 

 find it quite impossible to keep sheep ; and of the depredations, 

 ferocity, and even boldness, of this destructive beast, we heard many 

 accounts from those who had encountered it, and in the museum at 

 Coimbra we had seen several gigantic specimens from these moun- 

 tains. One gentleman recounted to us how he had been followed in 

 winter by one of these hungry animals, which drew nearer and nearer. 



