5016 Natural-History Collectors. 



as Cryptocerus cordatus, Smith. ; but the Gnostus is found only in 

 company with the one species of small Myrmica. In opening one 

 twig, I observed a Myrmica carrying one of the Gnostus in its man- 

 dibles. I examined frequently dry twigs, &c. in Villa Nova, for ants 

 and their parasites, but found none ; in fact, it is difficult to devote 

 oneself sufficiently closely to minute things, when large, conspicuous 

 insects turn up daily, such as was the case at Villa Nova ; I worked 

 there daily about five months before finding a Ctenostoma; about a 

 fortnight before I came away I began to get one nearly every day : 

 such is Entomology ! One clear year should be devoted to every 

 locality on the larger insects alone, a second year to the minute ones, 

 and two or three years to birds, plants and shells. 



" You will be sorry to hear I have returned to Santarem ; I had no 

 alternative, my health got very low in Villa Nova from bad food. I 

 have now the pleasure of saying that I never felt better, more disposed 

 to work, or happier since I have been in the country. I can assure 

 you with certainty now (D.V.) that I am off to the Upper Amazons ; 

 I shall have to get to the Barra in time for the three-monthly Nanta 

 steamer, i. e. the 15th of June. Mr. Spruce, I hear, went last voyage, 

 the 15th of March. 1 shall make Ega head quarters, have a cottage 

 there with a small canoe and a couple of hands, and thus visit all the 

 other places up to Nanta, inclusive. I shall attend to all departments 

 of Natural History, making insects the chief: I take up an immense 

 lot of boxes, &c, all ready ; have bought two new guns, &c. The 

 last two months I have worked hard at birds ; I never have taken any 

 pains with them before ; now, they tell me I put them up very nicely. 

 Since I began to notice birds here, I have been surprised to see how 

 many species of humming birds there are, even at Santarem ; I have 

 shot six very distinct species, and have seen, I am sure, four others." 



"Ega, Upper Amazons, August 16, 1855.* 

 " My last letter was from Santarem, I believe, after I had received your 

 parcel of ' Athenaeums,' &c. I now write from Ega, 900 miles further 

 up the river, and I suppose you will like to have some account of my 

 voyage. In 1849-50 it took me ninety-seven days travelling from 

 Obydos to Ega; this year I accomplished the journey from Santarem 

 to this place in eight days! (fourteen days including six of delay at 

 Barra), thanks to the llio Janeiro Government, who pay a steam-boat 

 company an enormous sum to run steamers in a country where the 



* Communicated by Mr. F. Bates. 



