88 COLLECTING LARVA 
overtake me, and on coming up found that it contained 
a Mr. George, of Streatham, who was travelling for a 
mercantile firm down the river. Hearing that Chung- 
king was about to be opened to English traders, he had 
come up with the intention of being first in the field if 
possible. At Ichang he had heard of my departure, 
and had pushed on with all speed hoping to overtake 
me, and we now travelled on in company. The ther- 
mometer to-day was 85°. 
April 19.—A start was made at daylight this 
morning, and a beautiful country passed through, the 
vegetation being very rich. I collected a number of 
larvee from the trunks of a species of poplar, and got a 
splendid series. They, unfortunately for me, were of 
the hairy species, and irritated the skin very much. I 
applied ammonia with a good result, but did not get 
much sleep at night. The worst of it was, that in 
changing to pupe, all the hairs were shed and were 
blown about the cabin, getting into the sheets and 
every available spot, the consequence being that for 
some weeks we were liable to be stung. I also got 
some Coleoptera of the family Cicindela, an interesting 
class of sand beetle. 
April 20.—Left with a light fair wind in the morn- 
ing, and made fifty li, anchoring for the night forty li 
from Chung-king, which place I hope to reach to- 
