xiv 



ther the skins of animals too hastily pre- 

 pared, nor the fishes and reptiles placed in 

 phials filled with alcohol. I have thought 

 proper to enter into these details, which, 

 although little interesting in themselves, 

 prove that we had no means of bringing 

 back,* in their natural state, many objects 

 of zoology and comparative anatomy, 

 of which we have published descriptions 

 and drawings. Notwithstanding some ob- 

 stacles, and the expense occasioned by the 

 carriage of these articles, 1 had reason to 

 applaud the resolution I had taken before 

 my departure, of sending to Europe the 

 duplicates only of the productions we had 

 collected. I cannot too often repeat, that 

 wheft the seas are infested with privateers, 

 a traveller can be sure only of the objects 

 in his own possession. A very small num- 

 ber of the duplicates, which we shipped 

 for the ancient continent during our abode 

 in America, were saved; the greater part 

 fell into the hands of persons unknown to 

 science. When a ship is condemned in a 

 foreign port, boxes containing only dried 

 plants or stones, far from being sent to the 

 scientific men to whom they are addressed, 



