Natural-History Collectors. 3841 



Urophasianus Vigorsii of Beechey's Voyage, &c; the inference being that it had pro- 

 bably escaped from confinement. Dr. Smith said there were no individuals of this 

 species in the Zoological Gardens here, or amongst the collection at Gosford House; 

 and, indeed, he was quite unable to learn of any being kept in confinement, either im- 

 mediately to the south or north of the Firth of Forth. He was informed that three 

 living specimens are at present in the collection of the Zoological Gardens, Keg-ent's 

 Park, London. The colour of the bird, Dr. Smith observed, was dark and light red- 

 dish brown, spotted with dark brown ; the lower parts of the head and upper parts of 

 the neck in front pure white ; speculum green, glossed with purple and edged with 

 black and light reddish fawn ; the tail light drab, without spots, rather elongated, 

 shaped somewhat like a pheasant's — whence the name; and there was a striking patch 

 of yellow on each side of the dusky bill. 



Proceedings of Natural-History Collectors in Foreign Countries. 



Mr. H. W. Bates* — "Santarem, October 18, 1852. — 1 returned 

 from my Tapajos journey last week. A letter I wrote you on the 1st 

 of August from Aveyros (Zool. 3801) would give you some account of 

 my ascent of the river to that place, and my plans for exploring the 

 branch river Cupare. I left Aveyros on the 2nd of August, and en- 

 tered the Cupare on the following day ; in this river I remained until 

 the 13th of September : thence I crossed over to the west bank of the 

 Tapajos, and worked at several points till the 2 1st, when I commenced 

 my slow journey down the river. Altogether it has been the most la- 

 borious excursion I have made. I had to contend with almost every 

 kind of difficulty and privation, even with actual hunger, from the dif- 

 ficulty of procuring subsistence, and, towards the last, ill health. The 

 two Indians I obtained with great difficulty of the Commandant of 

 Aveyros, gave me constant trouble and anxiety, — two lazy insolent 

 young lads, who at last, when T wished to ascend the river to Cure, 

 refused to accompany me any further. The voyage down the river to 

 Santarem was very difficult and perilous, in fact I do not know how 

 to describe it, so as to give you an adequate idea of what it is neces- 

 sary to undergo. At all seasons the passage is difficult, but at the 

 present time, the dry season, is the worst. The distance from Avey- 

 ros to Santarem is about 100 miles, and the breadth of the river varies 

 from 5 to 8 miles. The coast is studded with rocky points, between 

 which stretch wide shoally bays ; in some places these shoals reach 

 nearly half way across the river ; in others, there are isolated sand- 



* Communicated by Mr. S. Stevens. 

 XI. R 



