ing my absence, took charge
of the collections I sent home, and by his correspondence directed
my endeavours,--and who, since my return, has constantly rendered
me every assistance which the kindest friend could offer.

DOWN, BROMLEY, KENT,
June 1845.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Porto Praya--Ribeira Grande--Atmospheric Dust with Infusoria
--Habits of a Sea-slug and Cuttle-fish--St. Paul's Rocks,
non-volcanic--Singular Incrustations--Insects the first
Colonists of Islands--Fernando Noronha--Bahia--Burnished
Rocks--Habits of a Diodon--Pelagic Confervae and Infusoria--
Causes of discoloured Sea.

CHAPTER II.

Rio de Janeiro--Excursion north of Cape Frio--Great
Evaporation--Slavery--Botofogo Bay--Terrestrial Planariae
--Clouds on the Corcovado--Heavy Rain--Musical Frogs--
Phosphorescent insects--Elater, springing powers of--Blue
Haze--Noise made by a Butterfly--Entomology--Ants--Wasp
killing a Spider--Parasitical Spider--Artifices of an Epeira
--Gregarious Spider--Spider with an unsymmetrical web.

CHAPTER III.

Monte Video--Maldonado--Excursion to R. Polanco--Lazo and
Bolas--Partridges--Absence of trees--Deer--Capybara, or
River Hog--Tucutuco--Molothrus, cuckoo-like habits--
Tyrant-flycatcher--Mocking-bird--Carrion Hawks--Tubes
formed by lightning--House struck.

CHAPTER IV.

Rio Negro--Estancias attacked by the Indians--Salt-Lakes--
Flamingoes--R. Negro to R. Colorado--Sacred Tree--
Patagonian Hare--Indian Families--General Rosas--Proceed to
Bahia Blanca--Sand Dunes--Negro Lieutenant--Bahia Blanca--
Saline incrustations--Punta Alta--Zorillo.

CHAPTER V.

Bahia Blanca--Geology--Numerous gigantic extinct Quadrupeds
--Recent Extinction--Longevity of Species--Large Animals do
not require a luxuriant vegetation--Southern Africa--Siberian
Fossils--Two Species of Ostrich--Habits of Oven-bird--
Armadilloes--Venomous Snake, Toad, Lizard--Hybernation of
Animals--Habits of Sea-Pen--Indian Wars and Massacres--
Arrowhead--Antiquarian Relic.

CHAPTER VI.

Set out for Buenos Ayres--Rio Sauce--Sierra Ventana--Third
Posta--Driving Horses--Bolas--Partridges and Foxes--
Features of the country--Long-legged Plover--Teru-tero--
Hail-storm--Natural enclosures in the Sierra Tapalguen--Flesh
of Puma--Meat Diet-