Letters, Extracts from Correspondence, Notices, fyc. 197 
Alta Vera Pas, as it is called, of which Coban is the principal 
town. This so differs in its contour, soil, and productions, as 
to render it sufficiently distinct from the last division, though 
also a cold district. Of birds, some are especially confined to 
each of these divisions, but by far the greater number are com¬ 
mon to two or more, and many to all. They seem more di¬ 
stinctly defined by the botanical productions ; Palms, the Cieba, 
and mahogany, being characteristic trees of the coast-forests; 
Mimosce and Cacti of the second division, evergreen oaks of the 
table-lands, and the trees called in Coban Pimienta, Liquidam- 
ler, and Palo Santo, illustrating the last. 
“ My present collection of snakes, lizards, frogs, &c., is not 
large, but I intend sending what I have, also the few mammals 
and butterflies, so that I may clear out everything this month, 
ready for a fresh start, as in the beginning of February I go 
again to Coban, intending to collect a little on the Motagua on 
my way. At Coban I mean to shoot some Quesals, and go on, 
if possible, to Cajabon; after that, to the mines of Alotepeque 
and Copan, and perhaps on to Tequicicalpa in Honduras. 
“ I cannot find any land-shells, though I have looked for them 
frequently; all I have in that way are some two or three species 
of freshwater shells from the Hake of Duenas. 
Mr. Wallace’s last communications are dated Amboyna, Oct. 
22, 1859, whence he has sent us the valuable contributions to 
our pages which we have the pleasure of inserting in our pre¬ 
sent Number. He further says, 
“I have just packed up a large collection of Gilolo and 
Ternate birds, as w r ell as those from Menado. The foimei 
are a much gayer lot, comprising a fine series of Pitta maxima, 
a new Megapodius, I think, handsomely banded on the back, 
and a Semioptera, which differs a little from the Batchian spe¬ 
cimens in the much greater length of the breast plumes and 
other details. Is the Calcenas the true nicolarica ? If so, 
it is a unique case of a true land-bird ranging through the 
whole Archipelago, and beyond its limits from the Andamans 
to New Guinea. I do not know where Bonaparte got his m- 
