Natural-History Collectors. 



6405 



where, as three hours stoppage was necessary, I went ashore to perse- 

 cute my old friends : the abundance of one beautiful crimson and black 

 butterfly (Vanessa Amalthaea) was quite embarrassing. It was pretty 

 hot, but not oppressively so. 



July 23. Mompos. — Arrived at 3.30 P. M., and found the heat 

 tremendous. Mompos is built along the river, by w T hich runs a 

 terrace shaded by enormous trees, but shade is hot here as well as 

 sunshine : a fine church, half built and wholly overgrown with creepers, 

 shows the decadence of the place since the days of the Spanish regime, 

 but large fairs are held here, and much business for the interior trans- 

 acted. After being bored till near sunset I escaped from my Yankee 

 friends to have a look after my game ; however, I went along the river- 

 bank among the thick growth of plantains ( MusaJ, and was rewarded 

 by the capture of several magnificent fellows, six inches across the 

 wings (Pavonia Ajax) ; I saw one in the cathedral at Santa Marta, but 

 could not catch it, having only my hat. In the evening swarms of 

 moths came on board, and I captured many ; one in particular, a huge 

 purple-brown fellow, with eyes in the under wings, is a capital-looking 

 subject, but being fat-bodiecl he is not for dying. 



July 23. 12.45. — Arrived at Banco, another wood station ; went 

 ashore of course with net, and straight into the forest, 100 yards from 

 the vessel, and had pleasant doings with ray friends the butterflies, who 

 were numerous, but desperately lively; nevertheless I overcame many, 

 and added fifteen species to my stock in the course of an hour. I find 

 that having a pursuit is essentially serviceable ; nothing can be more 

 wearisome than life in a steamer like this, where every action is in 

 public, from getting out of bed to getting into the same : no bathing 

 to be had, which makes very uncomfortable mornings ; dare not 

 try the river, the alligators lying in every sand-bank — the ugly 

 villains. 



July 26. — My perseverance has infected my American friend 



Mr. F who has got me to rig a net for him : he says his sisters 



will go crazy, he " guesses," when he brings them a lot of these butter- 

 flies; he also "guesses" that whoever I am collecting for will "go 

 crazy" on seeing my " assortment." 



July 30. — Saw troops of big brown monkeys jumping one after the 

 other along the tree-tops, swinging by their tails for an impetus when 

 the leap was rather a stiff one : I heard them roaring in the forest to- 

 day, where we wooded, just like tigers, but being aware of their 

 practices I did not look out for "fur and claws." This evening the 

 chain of mountains beyond, and among which Bogota lies, came into 



