Natural-History Collectors. 4115 



is quite re-established, in fact better than in England, I think it un- 

 wise to leave the country without again visiting that rich region, and 

 indeed going up still higher after the fine Napo Catagrammas, and 

 the short-tail monkeys (Onakary), which I am sure Dr. J. E. Gray 

 would like to have a series of; especially as an opportunity offers of 

 going up in fifteen days, it taking four months in a sailing vessel. 



"I may state here that Megacephala Spixii is most certainly distinct 

 from M. Martii, since it has its own peculiar range, soil, and habits. 

 I have not seen a single specimen of the former at Santarem, the 

 only place where I have seen M. Martii, in soils and localities quite 

 distinct from those of M. Spixii, and no intermediate variations of 

 colour have occurred. A specimen of M. spinosa ? went in the col- 

 lection of June last ; yesterday 1 found a third specimen, and a series 

 of quite a different Megacephalous larva. M. spinosa ? has its pecu- 

 liar habits likewise; the three specimens were all taken about mid-day, 

 running about dry sandy campos; at night, I have searched the place 

 for it without seeing one. M. curta was very common a few days ago, 

 close to the edge of the water, on sandy beaches : it hides in the day- 

 time in semi-aquatic retreats under stones or sediments, I never saw 

 it five yards from the moist edge of the water. About a month ago I 

 saw undoubtedly an Iresia running over the trunk of a tree on a slop- 

 ing bank in the forest, but missed it." 



" Santarem, March 30, 1853. — On the 12th instant I forwarded to 

 you a collection and letters by a sailing vessel ; I now avail myself of 

 our steamer to write again and report progress, but most likely both 

 letters will leave Para by the same ship. Although my gains the last 

 year and a half appear very small, I am not much discouraged, as my 

 private collection is unusually fine, and two expensive voyages that I 

 made in the time, will not occur again. I have previously stated the 

 great difficulty in exploring out-of-the-way places, as the river Capari 

 on the Tapajos, and that I should be reluctant to undertake such ex- 

 pensive and arduous voyages again. Forward me as often as you can 

 a few numbers of the 'Zoologist,' especially for the sake of the reports 

 of the Entomological Society contained therein ; also all new Museum 

 Catalogues of mammals, birds, reptiles, fishes and insects as they ap- 

 pear, and Chenu's work, as being cheap, and easily replaced if lost. 

 As a brother of the net, the death of Mr. J. F. Stephens was very sad 

 intelligence ; he did a great deal towards popularizing and facilitating 

 Entomology in England. I should much like to have you here for 

 three months ; the novelty to me has, of course, worn off, but the real 



