3° 



THE HUMMING BIRD. 



[April i, 1 89 1 



assuming a menacing attitude, rendering its construc- 

 tion necessary. Mr. Davis doubted whether it was 

 feasible to construct and maintain the canal on 

 account of the frequency of earthquakes in Central 

 America. Senator Edmunds, of Vermont, replying 

 to the latter part of Mr. Davis's speech, pointed out 

 that railroads and waterworks had been constructed 

 in spite of the earthquakes, and that ancient masonry 

 was still standing within fifteen miles of Naples. No 

 public work that was deemed useful should, he main- 

 tained, ever be discarded on account of a possible 

 cataclysm of nature. Mr. Edmunds also defended 

 the Bill generally. The Senate ultimately adjourned 

 without having come to any decision regarding the 

 Bill. 



All what precedes shows how important it is for the 

 United States the opening of an Interoceanic canal 

 shortening the distance between the States of Cali- 

 fornia and New York. 



It is quite a mistake to believe that the Nicaragua 

 Canal can be made with the sum asked for to the 

 Senate of United States, viz., 100,000,000 dollars. 



The same difficulties and the same expenses will be 

 encountered there as with the Panama Canal, and I 

 consider it very cheap if it could be terminated with 

 twice that sum, and I think that if a canal is to be 

 opened at all it would be much preferable for United 

 States to buy, either in cash or otherwise, from the 

 Panama Canal Company all the assets existing, at a 

 reasonable price, and terminate the said canal. It 

 would cost them much less and could be concluded 

 much quicker. 



Besides, the position of Panama is unique, and 

 it would be very easy to make of that country an 

 independent State, under the control of the Govern- 

 ment of the United States, much more easy, in fact, 

 than in Nicaragua, where it confines with two district 

 Republics, having their capitals near the canal. 

 Meanwhile in Colombia the capital Bogota is at a 

 considerable distance, and probably it would be easier 

 for the Government of United States to come to an 

 understanding with that country than with Central 

 America. 



As a proof of what I say, I remember that during 

 my last trip to Colon and Panama in 1876 and 1877, 

 I spoke with many of the railway authorities, and 

 many times I was told by them that in selecting 

 Panama for the construction of the Interoceanic Rail- 

 way, it was, because in the opinion of the best engineers 

 of the epoch if a canal was to be made at any future 

 time Panama was the only place where it could be 

 made, and I believe that even now there exists a sort 

 of agreement between the Panama Railway Company 

 and the Colombian authorities that no canal can be 

 made by any others than by the Panama Railway 

 Company sixty leagues above or under the line of the 

 railway. This clause was the chief reason why the 

 Exploring Interoceanic Canal Company, under the 

 direction of General Turr, sent an expedition to 

 explore the Darien, which is just outside the limits 

 claimed by the Panama Railway Company. 



Seeing the impossibility of digging the Inter- 

 oceanic Canal in the isthmus of Darien, Baron de 

 Lesseps had to buy the Panama Railway Company 

 with its privileges to the American Society which 



owned it, and it was considered by all a masterful 

 stroke of business at the time. 



Many of the directors of the said Company are 

 alive, and can very well substantiate what I say, 

 and, furthermore, tell to their countrymen that no one 

 did interfere with them during all the time of their 

 management. In fact, they were as the real 

 owners of Pariama, to the point of not receiving- any 

 other money than American gold in payment for 

 transit of passengers and goods, and acting in every- 

 thing entirely as they liked. 



Panama is the proper place for the Colombus 

 Canal, and, notwithstanding all what is done else- 

 where, I have not the least doubt that the canal will 

 be opened there one day or another. 

 To be continued. 



Answers to Correspondents. 



Messrs. Boucard, Pottier & Co., in answer to the 

 numerous letters received from the Continent and 

 from America offering Objects of Natural History for 

 sale, remind their Correspondents that their establish- 

 ment is a Naturalist's Agency, started with the special 

 purpose of serving as intermediary between the 

 collectors and the amateurs. They will be glad to 

 receive in commission all sorts of Objects of Natural 

 Plistory, and will do their utmost to give entire satis- 

 faction to both parties concerned. Rare Objects, 

 either in Curios, Paintings, Works of Art, .Natural 

 History in general, sent in commission will be adver- 

 tised free of charge in the journal. 



Lists of desiderata for rare specimens of Natural 

 History, Works of Art, Curios, etc., will also be in- 

 serted free of charge. 



All communications should be addressed — 

 Naturalist's Agency, 



225, High Holborn, London, W.C. 



Books and Journals Received. 



North American Fauna, Nos. 3 and 4, two very 

 interesting pamphlets on mammals and birds found 

 in North America. 



Rivista italiana di Sciense natural!. Le A T ov Latin, 

 international scientific Lingua, by Dr. Daniel Rosa. 



The Antigua Observer. 



The Canadian Entomologist. 



The Naturalisfs Gazette. 



PViiling's British and Lrish Tress Guide, a very 

 useful book. 



With thanks, 



A. B. 



Obituary. — Charles Anatole Maingonnat, the 21st 

 of February, aged 54. Charles Anatole Maingonnat 

 of Paris, a very old friend of mine, was a pupil of 

 Messrs. Jules and Edward Verreaux, Brothers, "the 

 firm who had travellers in all parts of the world, and 

 supplied so many museums during a number of 

 years with rare or new apecies collected everywhere. 

 Under such masters, Charles Anatole Maingonnat 

 became a very skilful taxidermist. He studied 

 anatomy and sculpture. He always used to make a 



