24 D0TTINGS ON THE ROADSIDE. [Chap. II.—B. S. 
gentlemen to call on me. One of them was Captain 
Dow, of the steamer ‘ Guatemala,’ well known to men 
of science as the discoverer of innumerable new animals 
and plants in these regions, and an active correspon¬ 
dent of the leading naturalists of the Old and New 
World. We had known each other for years, hut 
never had the chance of meeting face to face until 
now. I can never help comparing those who live in the 
sultry tropics, and have nothing to occupy them hut 
the common routine of everyday work, with those who 
are addicted, however limited the extent, to the pur¬ 
suit of some branch of science. How heavy time 
seems to hang upon them; they never appear to 
know what to do to get over the long hours that have 
necessarily to elapse between getting up and going to 
bed. This was brought home to me once more by 
being thrown in company with the gentleman just 
named. When not occupied professionally he was 
ever busy making some scientific observations, or col¬ 
lecting some rare specimens for his numerous corre¬ 
spondents. The Smithsonian Institution would be glad 
to know this, the German Academy that; the British 
Museum would feel grateful for this specimen, and 
the Zoological Gardens in Regent’s Park were dying 
to get that; and all these desiderata the enthusiastic 
Captain, regardless of trouble and expense, hastened 
to supply as fast as time and opportunity would 
allow. To many of the singular creatures flying, 
fluttering, swimming, and crawling about these coasts, 
naturalists have gratefully appended his name as dis¬ 
coverer, and it is mainly due to his representation 
