Min. Thermometer.
Fahrenheit.

Max. Thermometer.

Centigrade.

Barometer.

REMARKS.

July 12

60°
8 a.m. 65°

...

Inches.
8 a.m. 29.82
8.30 p.m. 29.85

Entirely overcast. 4.30 p.m. rain. Downpour all evening.

13

58°

21.4°

8 a.m. 63°

8 a.m. 29.88 7.30 p.m. 29.83

Fine, steady rain. Cold, wet, windy afternoon. 7.30 p.m. cloudless, cold evening. Lightning to north. Rain 16'40

Date.

56°

NOTE. In presenting these meteorological notes, and vouching for their accuracy, I regret that they are but scanty and imperfect. My excuse must be inexperience of this work, lack of necessary instruments, and pressure of other duties.

SHORT NOTES ON ANIMALS, BIRDS, AND Reptiles.

MONKEYS (Quadrumana).

Primates, these are represented at the present day by a great number of species, but few traces of their genera are found in the cave deposits of Brazil. The most remarkable feature is the number of species with prehensile tails, a character not existing among any of the monkeys of the Old World.* All the South American monkeys are embraced in the family Cebida.

I had no opportunity of observing closely any but the marmosets, which approach the lemurs. These (Jacchus) abound in the forests near Brumado (Entre Rios de Minas), and exist even in the thick woods round the Corcovado, near Rio de Janeiro. I brought home two of the Jacchus pencillatus, or black-eared marmoset, which I bought at Bahia. They became very tame. One of them died early in June, and the other June 24, 1885. There were also on board the Valparaiso many of the Jacchus vulgaris, which has white whiskers instead of black. The native name of the marmoset is sagui.

BATS (Cheiroptera).

I collected no specimens of bats; but on examining those at the British Museum, I recognize a species of Phyllostoma (not spectrum) and Desmodus rufus. The latter I came across frequently, and was told that it attacked cattle. I have mentioned my horses having been attacked by a vampire; it may have been the one I now refer to.

Captain Burton † says, when staying at Barroso, near São João del Rey, "Rising before dawn, we found from the bloodclotted hides of our animals that they had suffered severely from the vampire (Vespertilio naso, or Phyllostomus spectrum)

* Liais, "Climats, Faune," etc., pp. 554, 555.
"Highlands of Brazil," vol. i. pp. 107, 108.

...

locally called. . . 'morcego,' andira or guandira. These big ruddy-brown bats, of ghostly flight and cannibal tastes, are confined to the American continent, and they unaccountably prefer particular spots. . . . In São Paolo and Minas, no case of a man having been bitten by the 'ugly spectre bats' came under my notice. . . . However . . . Cabiza de Vaca (1543) was wounded by the leaf-nosed . . . monster near the lake Xarayes. Messrs. Bates and A. R. Wallace, and . . . Mr. Charles H. Williams of Bahia, suffered in person on the Amazons, where the rhinophyll appears to be decidedly anthropophagous. The mode of the vampire's attack has of late years become the subject of debate. The wound is softly and skilfully inflicted. I never saw my horses or mules terrified by it. Prince Max. asserts that it uses its teeth. Gardner believes the puncture is made by the sharp-hooked nail of the thumb. Lieutenant Herndon thinks that the tusks bite, while the nostrils are fitted for a suction apparatus. Others trace the wound to the papillæ of the tongue. . . . The armature of the jaw, however, speaks for itself. It must be like a Vision of Judgment to awake suddenly and to find upon the tip of one's nose, in the act of drawing one's life-blood, that demoniacal face with deformed nose, satyr-like ears, and staring fixed saucer-eyes, backed by a body measuring two feet from wing end to wing end."

Mr. H. W. Bates says that "the vampire, however, is the most harmless of all bats, and its inoffensive character is wellknown to residents on the banks of the Amazons. . . . I opened the stomachs of several of these bats, and found them to contain a mass of pulp and seeds of fruits, mingled with a few remains of insects."

CAPYBARA AND PACA (Rodentia).

The capybara, Hydrocherus capybara (Cavida), is allied to the guinea-pig. It is the largest of living rodents, attaining a length of three or four feet. It is a South American form, leading a semi-aquatic life, to which end its feet are incompletely webbed. It is a harmless, stupid animal, and not unlike a small pig in appearance.t

"The Naturalist on the River Amazons," vol. ii. p. 333. † Alleyne Nicholson, "Manual of Zoology."

I did not see this animal, but heard of its appearance frequently on the River Para near Pitanguy. There are many places named after it. Captain Burton mentions having seen it on the banks of the Parahybúna, near the grand precipice of the Pedra da Fortaleza, on the borders of Minas Geraes and Rio de Janeiro. The Indian name is capi-uara, from caapiim, grass, guára, eater. It is gregarious. M. Liais terms it cabiai or capiguara. There is only one existing species. Remains have been found in late. tertiary deposits of a species larger than the tapir.

The paca.-I have referred to this animal more than once as being very excellent for food. It is the Calogenus (F. Cuvier) or Calogenys (Illiger) paca. M. Liais † points out that both these names are erroneous: first, etymologically; secondly, as not being characteristic of the genus. Thus the name Calogenus is supposed to be derived from koilos, a pouch, genus, a cheek; then the name should be Genys-calus. But then, again, other rodents exist with this characteristic. The species, which is the only one of the genus, should, according to M. Liais, be termed Paca Americanus. It exists throughout Brazil, Guiana, and Paraguay. After dilating on their anatomy, M. Liais says, "They run very quickly, jump well over obstacles, and swim and plunge in a remarkable manner. They generally seek damp forests and the borders of rivers. They do not dig, nor cover up the opening of their burrow with straw, as has been said; but take advantage of the holes dug by other animals, notably those of the tatus. . . . They visit sugar-cane plantations, maize, and potato fields. Their flesh is very delicate (très recherché), and they are much hunted, for which purpose dogs are specially trained.

COATI (Plantigrada).

These little animals are closely allied to the true bears. I have mentioned seeing two specimens ; one in the forest near Paraopéba, the other brought on board for sale at Pernambuco. The former was very fierce, having just been caught, and uttered loud cries, while biting at everything within reach; the latter was

tame, and a very lovable little creature, with a beautiful skin. They both had very fine eyes.

The chief characteristics of this genus are, according to M. Liais, a very long nose, which is, in fact, a trunk, and a long hairy tail, which is not prehensile. The two specimens I saw twisted their tail round any near object; but, as they were confined, I could not observe whether they used it as an aid to locomotion.

The Indian name is cuatí, from cua, belt, tim, nose, which appears to indicate the flexibility of this organ. M. Liais recommends Cuati as the generic name; Nasua is the recognized appellation.

There are two species: C. socialis, cuati de bandas, a gregarious species, which flees when pursued; C. solitaris, cuati mondé, a solitary species, fierce, which attacks and kills dogs. Prince Max. distinguishes the two species; Azara allows only one.

OUNCES (Digitigrada).

Onça sussuarána (Felida). Brazilian etymology is phonetic, so I was hardly surprised to find this name spelt in different ways by M. Liais and Captain Burton. The former has suçuarana, the latter çuçuaranna, or çuçurana.

M. Liais, after describing the jaguars, proceeds to the cougouars or pumas (Felis concolor, Linn.), which approach the lion. He says,† "These animals are known in Brazil under the name of suçuarana, and two distinct species are there recognized; the true suçuarana, called also onça vermelho (red ounce), and suçuarana do lombo preto (with black loins). The former is the larger.

"The name Suçuarana is an alteration of Çucuacuára, or Guazouara (of Azara), and Soasoarana, Cougouacouara, Çuguacarana, Cougouora, etc., brought from Guiana by other travellers; and it is also even the origin of the altered name Cougouar.

"This name Çucuacuára is derived from çu, the food, cuacu, to cover up, and ara, a final syllable often used to describe a habit. This word, therefore, means he who covers his food, and is another

*For instance, they write cachaça or caxaça, for white rum.
"Climats, Faune," etc., pp. 459, et seq.