Dear Sir—

I take the liberty to make a request.

I have lately returned from a Scientific Expedition, under the auspices of the Smithsonian Institution, across equatorial America, via Quito, the Napo and the Amazons.¹ My party made collections in every department of Natural History, to which I added a continuous series of barometrical and other physical observations across the continent, an account of which was published in Silliman’s Journal for last September.² I made a special study of the geology of the Ecuadorian volcanoes and the Amazonian valley. Of fossils, I found at Paita on the coast three forms additional to those described by D’Orbigny in your ‘Observations’,— Cinthium laeviuscula, Ostrea gallus and a new sp. of Ampullina.³ In the high valley of Quito near Riobamba, I discovered a vast deposit of mammalian bones, chiefly of the mastodon, horse, tapir and llamas.⁴

In the valley of the Amazons at Pebas, 2200 miles above Pará, I discovered a bed of fossil shells in the peculiar clay formation which overspreads the whole valley. Those determined are Neritina pupa (a familiar West Indian sp.), new sp. of Turbonilla, Mesalia and Tellina, and representatives of a new genus related to Isocardia.⁵ You will recollect that Bates, Wallace and Agassiz found no fossils in the Valley, and the glacial theory of the last rests somewhat on that “negative evidence”.⁶ You may be interested also, in the fact that on a little lake on the slope of Antisana, 13,300 ft. above the Pacific, I found a grebe-like bird with undeveloped wings and scarcely able to walk, but at home on the water.⁷ Associated with it were Penguins (in appearance): they were so shy we failed to secure one.

I will also state that I met a peccari, a “cock of the rock” and fine reptilian sp. common to both sides of the Andes,—Esmeraldas and Napo.⁸

The collections are in the hands of eminent naturalists, and will be reported on at an early day.⁹ I am myself preparing, and have nearly ready for the press, a Narrative of the Expedition, modeled after your charming Voyage of the Beagle,¹⁰ weaving in the most important scientific results.

And now, my dear Sir, this is the burden of this letter,—I desire the high honor and privilege of dedicating this work on “The Andes and the Amazons” to one whose name is so pleasantly associated with our southern continent.¹¹

With the very highest respect I am, dear Sir, | Your obedient Servant | James Orton.