ON TROPICAL SEAS. 
455 
remarkable among the strange crew was 44 the Paddler,” whose quacking voice 
resembled so much the regular stroke of a paddle, that it deceived one of our 
party entirely, when he heard it for the first time. It lives on the land, and, as 
I am informed, is nearly the size of Rana paradoxa: it has long yellowish 
legs; a brown body, spotted with black; and its abode is generally an old tree, 
until the night invites him to his ramble and exercise of vocal power. 
The rapids became more frequent and the river contracted considerably, till 
they at last arrived at the great cataract of the Essequibo, which Dr. Schomburgk 
has called 44 King William’s” cataract, in honour of his late Majesty, then patron 
of the Royal Geographical Society. Here the party were obliged to bend their 
course down the stream again, and after an absence of about six months arrived 
at George’s-town. 
Here I must close my abstract, as I fear I have already taken up too much of 
your space with my remarks. I hope, however, that I have made the abstract so 
interesting as to induce many of the readers of The Naturalist to follow Dr. 
Schomburgk in his expeditions, which they will find at length in the Journal of 
the Royal Geographical Society of London. The Report of his first expedition will 
be found in Yol. VI., part 2, 1836; the 44 Diary of an Ascent of the River 
Corentyn,” in Vol. VII., part 2, 1837; and the 44 Diary of an Ascent of the 
Berbice,” in Vol. VII., part 2. 
Among other collections in Natural History made during these expeditions 
(besides what have been lost), about 120 specimens of birds have been sent to the 
British Museum. Also a collection of about 8,000 plants, consisting of nearly 
400 species. Seeds have been sent to the Horticultural Society, and a considerable 
number of Orchideous plants in a living state. Dr. Schomburgk surely deserves 
a place in 44 The Naturalist’s Portrait-Gallery.” 
Law-Park Cottage , near St. Andrews , 
April 11,1839. 
CURSORY REMARKS ON TROPICAL SEAS. 
By Dr. Poppig. 
( Translated by Edwin Lankester , M.R.C.S.) 
We were scarcely two degrees from Cabo Pilares, when we experienced a rapid 
and striking alteration in the temperature both of the land and of the sea. As 
the South wind was still blowing with an undiminished degree of cold, this 
phenomenon could only be explained by the occurrence of currents from the 
