Natural-History Collectors. 4319 



fellow however), and there is consequently no communication except 

 in small open Indian boats to the place. Two months ago I bar- 

 gained with a young man, who has a canoe and Indians, to take me 

 there after a journey he was about making to Obydos, but he has not 

 yet arrived, and I have been kept in suspense from day to day for a 

 whole month ; I have now other chances of a passage, and have got 

 all ready and hope to leave in a few days. The present collection is 

 small, but I think there are a good many rare and new things. There 

 is really splendid ground near this, but it is too far for effective con- 

 stant working, six miles distant over a scorching, sandy desert ; I 

 have made twenty-seven excursions thither since Christmas, and my 

 usual number is twenty new species every time. It is astonishing the 

 number and variety of Coleoptera there ; they run small, but a great 

 many handsome Longicornes, Clerii, &c, unfortunately mostly unique 

 specimens : of Ibidion alone I number eighteen species now, and 

 thirty-seven species of Clerii, &c. I have not heard from you since 

 yours of date the 26th of March ; I am waiting replies to my long 

 letters of March 10th and 29th, May 27th and June 27th, — March 

 10th and May 27th with collections ; the former valued at £M, the 

 latter at £35. I expect parcels of papers, magazines, entomological 

 notes and books, which would be a great treat to me now, as I have 

 been long without receipt of any ; I certainly could not exist in these 

 deserts without such things. The steamer from Para to Barra Rio 

 Nigro runs regularly, but the other line from Barra to the Ucayali 

 has not yet arrived, they are delaying it now too much, as the Upper 

 Amazons will be, at its lowest mark of water, very inconvenient for a 

 first voyage, as they will have to stop incessantly to take soundings 

 ahead to find the channel. I hope the great number of small 

 Coleoptera I have sent in these last three collections will be con- 

 sidered good, as I find them very curious and interesting, and that 

 they will all sell. Mr. Hewitson will be impatient at the long neg- 

 lect of Diurnes, there are very few or none at Santarem in comparison 

 with the other districts. I have written so many letters since the 

 date of your last, that I find I have very little to say now. 



" I forward you a few illustrations of Botany, all I could get com- 

 plete. 1 have a number of odd things yet, and a still greater number 

 on my list to look after, but it is very awkward work ; as to those sent, 

 the accompanying notes will explain. Remember me kindly to all 

 friends ; I am looking anxiously for copious answers from them to 

 my notes sent, and for this reason I send very few now." 



