FKOM PARA TO MANAOS. 



15P 



a supposer que cette localite renferme aussi les cinq esp^ces 

 de Breves. Yous voyez que nous laisserons encore ^norme- 

 ment a faire a nos successeurs. 



Adieu pour aujourd'hui, votre bien affection^ 



L. Agassiz * 



* August 22d, morning : between Tajapurii and QurupA. 

 My dear Friend : — Yesterday was a most instructive day, — above all, in 

 the "forest fishes." We have obtained fifteen species in all. Out of this num- 

 ber ten are new, four are found also in Para, and one has been already described 

 by me in the voyage of Spix and Martins ; but what is most interesting is the 

 proof furnished by these species, taken in their totality, that the fishes inhabit- 

 ing the waters west of the group of islands called Marajo, when considered as 

 a whole, differ from those of the Para river. The list of names which we 

 have asked from the Indians shows, further, that the number of species found 

 in these localities exceeds greatly that which we have been able to procure ; 

 for this reason we have left cans at Breves and at Tajapuru in order to complete 

 the collection. I add some remarks which will help you to appreciate these 

 differences, if you wish to compare them with the catalogue of the Para species 

 which I left with yoa. Considering all, it seems to me already apparent that 

 our voyage will make a revolution in Ichthyology. In the first place, the 

 Jacunda of Tajapuru is different from those of Para ; so is the Acara ; then 

 we have a new species of Sarapd, and also one of Jeju ; a new species of Rabeca, 

 a new species of Anoja, a new genus of Candiru, a new genus of Bagre, a 

 new genus of Acary, and a new species of Acary belonging to the same genus 

 as that of Para ; also a new species of Matupirim. Add to this a species 

 of Aracu, already described, but which is not found at Para, and you will 

 have at Tajapuru eleven species which do not exist at Para, to which must 

 be added four species which are found at Tajapuru as well as at Para, and one 

 which occurs at Para, Breves, and Tajapuru. In all twenty species, of which 

 fifteen are new, in two days. Unhappily, the Indians have misunderstood our 

 directions, and have brought us but one specimen of each species. There 

 remains, then, much to do in these localities, judging from the catalogue 

 of names collected by Major Coutinho, which includes twenty-six species from 

 the forest and forty-six from the river. We are still lacking at least fit'ty-two 

 species from Tajapuru, even supposing that this locality contains also the five 

 species from Breves. You see that we shall yet leave a large share of the 

 work to our successors. 



Adieu for to-day, your affectionate 



L. Agassiz. 



