4. English partridge, 5. European quail, 6. Asiatic or Colchic pheasant, 7. English woodcock, Tetrao Perdrix. Tetrao Coturnix. It does not appear to me that one of these seven species is found in Fredonia, nor, I believe, in America: for it is questionable whether the bird which is seen in the countries toward Hudson's Bay, and is mentioned as a white-partridge by Mr. Mackenzie in his Travels, is the .ptarmigan. It is more likely to be the Tetrao Albus. II. American game-birds, not found in Europe. 1. New-York partridge, Pennsylvania pheasant, or pinnat- ed grous, 2. New-York, New-England, and Virginian quail, or Pennsylvania partridge, 3. American woodcock. 4. Long-Island grous, or ruffed heath-cock, Tetrao Cupido; has feathers half down his legs; is a grous, and ought to be so called. Tetrao Virginianus. Scolopax? certainly a Fredish species, different from the British. Tetrao Umbellus. I have found by inquiry in their native region, that at the breeding season these birds go in pairs-lay their eggs in May, amidst the brush and heath of Suffolk county, to the number of twelve or fifteen, of a brown colour, much resembling those of the Guinea-hen. At that time the cock struts, fights, erects his neck-feathers, and makes a pretty loud tooting noise. They feed on worms, insects, acorns, hurtle-berries, partridgeberries, and in the winter on the buds of the pine-tree. They always roost on the ground, and in severe winters penetrate the snow for that purpose. III. Game-birds common to both hemispheres. 1. The English snipe, 2. The golden plover, Scolopax Gallinago; is found in both continents. Pennant writes that "they are most universal birds, found in every quarter of the globe, and in all climates." Charadrius Pluvialis; is probably the green-plover, or frost-bird of the Long-Island sportsmen. Having thus attempted to draw an outline of this small department of natural history, I cannot conclude without expressing the hope that some successful attempts may be shortly inade to bring the living birds prized by British sportsmen from their native country to ours. Doubtless they might be readily naturalized, and soon stock our land with a race of inhabitants whom every gentleman would be glad to entertain and patronize. With affectionate and fraternal regard, I remain, &c. ARTICLE IV. Brief DESCRIPTION of the COUNTRY on the COAST of SOUTHAMERICA, from Porto-Bello to Carraccas on the East, and from Panama to Guayaquil and Lima on the West. By Mr., who has visited it. Extracted from his Com munication to Dr. MITCHILL, of Jan. 27, 1804. PORTO-BELLO has an excellent harbour, is situated at a narrow part of the Isthmus of Darien, is eighty miles by land from Panama (on the opposite side of the Isthmus), and 180 W. S. W. from Carthagena. There is no communication from thence by land to Carthagena, as the whole western and southern parts of Darien (within the gulph) are in possession of the Indians, who bear a mortal hatred to the Spanish name, and the Spaniards a great fear of them. Ten leagues westward of Porto-Bello is a small town called Chagres, situated at the mouth of a river of the same name, which is navigable for large canoes forty-five miles up, to a place called Cruz; from whence the distance to Panama is but seven leagues. The usual communication from Porto-Bello to Panama is by this river. Westward of Chagres 150 miles, empties the river St. Juan de Nicaragua, which rises and takes its name from a large lake in the province of Leon.-The lake of Nicaragua extends within a few miles of the Pacific Ocean. From about the time of the autumnal equinox, till February or March, the whole country in the vicinity of the Isthmus of Panama, is deluged by almost incessant rain; during which time the winds are very variable on the Atlantic side, but mostly prevail from the westward. The remaining part of the year the winds are more regular, and prevail from the eastward; the atmosphere is then dryer, and the inhabitants more healthy. It is very seldom, however, even in the dryest seasons, they are more than a day or two without excessive rains so that the miserable inhabitants seldom feel the regenerating influence of the sun, his piercing rays being incapable of penetrating through the thick vapours which obscure him from their sight. The country is mountainous, and covered with a thick impenetrable wood. This narrow strip of land, which binds together North and South-America, being situated between two immense oceans, is destined to be perpetually covered with thick vapours, raised by the intense heat of the sun from the two oceans, which being naturally precipitated by the winds to the same point, and impeded in their progress by the mountains and contrary current of air, here concentrate, are condensed, and fall in torrents of rain, like the waters of an immense river down a precipice. The vast quantity of stagnant water with which the earth is perpetually covered, emitting incessant vapours, which impregnate the air with their noxious qualities, may be the principal cause why it is extremely unhealthy. The inhabitants of this country are mostly natives, the climate being so inimical to European constitutions, that few of the latter venture a long residence. They are a diminutive, emaciated set of wretches, and have more the appearance of walking phantoms than of human animated beings. The prevailing diseases in this country are: 1st. The leprosy, which all the inhabitants are more or less afflicted with, and strangers, soon after their arrival, are attacked by it, particularly at Porto-Bello. I imputed the cause of this loathsome disease to the water, which descends from the mountains by a natural aqueduct into the town, and from thence to the sea, and of which the inhabitants drink freely, seldom mixing with it any kind of spirits. It is extremely cool and pleasant, and of a clear bluish cast. Secondly. A disorder, called by the Spaniards, dolor-acostado, or pain in the side, which, when settling on the right side, affects the liver, and when in the left, forms a hard lump, which attaches itself to the side, and generally terminates in death. This is occasioned (say the Spanish physicians) by a concentration and stagnation of the blood in the part affected. The extreme pain it gives the patient as the disorder increases, occasions a violent fever. For this complaint they give strong purgatives, bleed profusely, and rub the part affected with warm tallow, as likewise the extremities of the body, which VOL. II. R produces violent perspiration-they sometimes make an incision in the side for the matter collected to discharge itself. Thirdly. Pulmonary complaints are frequent. Fourthly. Bilious fevers, which are the prevailing disease in that country, and generally come to a crisis the seventh or ninth day. If they do not terminate in death, the patient is left extremely weak and debilitated, and remains a long time in a convalescent state; indeed, seldom recovers perfect health without change of climate. The remedies prescribed for this disorder are strong purgatives, profuse letting of blood, injections, and bark, when the fever subsides. They recommend a thin broth, made by the boiling of a fowl in water, barley-water, &c. for constant drinks; and will not suffer the patient to eat any thing while the fever is upon him, but allow him to drink as much water as he pleases. The part most affected by this disorder is the head. It possibly may not be uninteresting to mention, that a proposition was made to the Court of Spain, to open a canal from the bay of Panama, to communicate with the river Chagres at Cruz, and so with the Atlantic Ocean. It was rejected on the supposition that it would deprive the Pacific of so much water as to leave their harbours on that side dry; and, on this, have a tendency to overflow the West-India islands, and the sea-coast of the continent, as it was contended that the waters of the Pacific at that part of the continent were much higher than on the opposite side in the Atlantic Ocean. This is probably an absurd idea, and the more probable cause of rejecting the proposition, arose from those contracted principles of policy which distinguish the Spanish cabinet, and which tend to deprive other nations from profiting by an intercourse with her American possessions; which a canal would much facilitate, and expose her possessions in the Pacific to an easy conquest. It is not foreign to the subject to relate, that the ebb and flow of the tides at Panama, is from 14 to 20 feet, and that at Porto-Bello they are but three or four feet. Should a canal ever be opened at the place mentioned, it will probably cause a complete revolution in commerce, and make Panama and Porto-Bello two great emporiums for the interchange of the productions of the eastern and western world. There are many considerable settlements on the lake and river of Nicaragua, and between the river and Panama, on the gold mines of Veragua, from which are taken about twenty quintals of gold annually. The provinces of Veragua and Costa-Rica (between Panama and the lake) are not numerously peopled, neither is that of León; but by means of this lake vast quantities of goods from Porto-Bello would find their way into the district of Mexico, and from thence the whole country within the jurisdiction of Guatamala would receive supplies, as likewise from Panama, which is situated at the head of a deep and spacious bay, about two hundred leagues S. E. from the city of Guatamala. Panama is a walled town, and contains about 30,000 inhabitants. In a southern and western direction from thence, about six hundred miles, is the city of Guayaquil, situated upon a river which rises from the Andes in the province of Quito, and unites its waters with those of the Pacific Ocean at Guayaquil Bay. This river is navigable, and goods are conveyed up it thence to the city of Quito. Between Panama and Guayaquil are several intermediate ports, which would receive more or less goods from thence, from whence they would likewise find their way to Quito. Poyta is a very considerable town on the Pacific, about one hundred miles from Guayaquil. The province of Quito is very populous, and said to be the richest of Peru. Lima is about eight hundred miles from Guayaquil, well known as the most opulent and luxurious city of South-America. It is the great emporium from whence every part of Peru receives supplies, as likewise a greater part of Chili, and monopolizes almost the whole trade of South-America on the Pacific side, when Spain is at peace, and has a free intercourse with that country. · Sta. Martha is about ten leagues from Carthagena, and the river St. Magdalena unites with the Atlantic between those two places. The River St. Magdalena rises in the Andes, in the province of Grenada, and those two places are the reception of the productions of that province, and supply it with merchandize. From St. Martha to Carraccas there is a safe communication by land or water, and the expenses attending the transportation of goods by either mode of conveyance are trifling, so that I calculate my plan to include the supply of the principal part of that country also. The trade of that part of Spanish America which my plan comprises is very limited and confined. The European merchants enjoy all the advantages to be derived from their external commerce, the unjust and impolitic laws of their country having given them the power to impose their own prices on the American subject for the manufactures of Europe, and to receive the produce of their country on such terms as they think proper. Their internal commerce is principally an illicit |