27th June 1832

Rio de Janeiro
This is my last day on shore, so I was determined it should not be an idle one. In the bay I found some fine Corallines; the examination of which occupied me during the whole day. Upon the whole I am tolerably contented with what I have done at Rio in Natural Hist: several important branches have been cut off: Geology is here uninteresting, Botany & Ornithology too well known. And the sea totally unproductive excepting in one place in Botofogo Bay — so that I have been reduced to the lower classes, which inhabit the dry land or fresh water. The number of species of Spiders which I have taken is something enormous. The time during these eleven weeks has passed so delightfully, that my feelings on leaving Botofogo are full of regret & gratitude.
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[Image? Brazilian wolf-spider]

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