NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 371 



ran in, cowering with terror, and casting furtive glances at the huge 

 bird, whilst pressing against us trembling with fear. It was remark- 

 able to see the fright that possessed these big dogs, when they were in 

 perfect security amongst our large party. Shouts drove the assailant 

 away, and presently we proceeded." 



The way in which these huge birds are lassoed by the herds- 

 men is described (p. 205) with a graphic illustration from the 

 pencil of Joseph Wolf. 



The valley of Machachi is described as a perfect paradise for 

 the zoologist (p. 115) : — 



" At first the dimensions of this great basin were underated or un- 

 appreciated. Objects which were supposed to be a mile distant 

 sometimes proved to be two or three miles away. Woods looked liked 

 clumps of bushes, and impassable ravines appeared mere ditches. 

 When we became better acquainted with it, the bare almost naked- 

 looking plain was found to contain unsuspected dells and nooks, 

 decorated with ferns and hidden lanes, gay with Salvias, Fuchsias, and 

 Verbenas ; giving shelter to a countless population, varied in habits, 

 and different in natures, whose range was determined by light and shade, 

 heat and cold, moisture and vegetation ; many timid and shrinking 

 from observation, seldom straying far from the spots that were home 

 or habitation, where they must be sought to be found. 



" Pumas and Deer ranged over the high, rugged ground ; Foxes, 

 Weasels, and 'Possums, dwelt on the lower slopes ; and down in the 

 basin was a zoologist's paradise. Butterflies above, below, and around, 

 mayflies and dragonflies dancing in the sunlight, lizards darting across 

 the paths, spiders, beetles, and crickets in infinite numbers." 



The zoological collections which were made in Ecuador were 

 formed with the view of bringing together the species which 

 range highest. Thus the highest positions at which earthworms 

 were found were on Cayambe (14,760 feet), and on the summit 

 of Corazon (15,871 feet). Two new Centipedes belonging to the 

 genus Newportia were found, one on Cayambe (11,800 feet), the 

 other on Chimborazo at an elevation of 12,000 feet. No less 

 than 104 new species of Coleoptera were collected, and have been 

 described (in the " Supplementary Appendix ") by Messrs. Bates, 

 Sharp, Gorham, OlifTe, and Jacoby. Leaping Orthoptera were 

 very numerous to the height of from twelve to thirteen thousand 

 feet, and on Chimborazo were collected in the Vallon de Carrel 

 at 16,000 feet. Earwigs, though not numerous in the interior, 



