botanist within me was somewhat mollified by my appreciation of the fine landscape which he had as it were unrolled.

There are a good many monkeys, grey squirrels, green parrots, wild turkeys, macaws, and snakes, in the woodlands of Chontales; the largest and most common snake, known by the native name of taboba, attains 6 to 8 feet in length, but is not venomous. In the grassy parts you find a good number of armadilloes, which the natives are very fond of eating. We caught one to take home; but having to leave it a few days at some house, we were told that it had disappeared during our absence, the temptation of eating it having probably proved too strong. Gossiping about animal life, I should not omit alluding to a gigantic saurian, said to have been last year in New Segovia, and of the vertebræ of which people have made footstools. An account of "the monster" fills several columns of the official gazette of Nicaragua, and is from the pen of one Paulino Montenegro, B.A. The author states that having heard of the existence of a gigantic reptile near LaCuchilla, he started, in company with several friends, to have a look at the animal, which was said to have made large burrows in the manner of moles, and been the cause of uprooting trees and making large stones roll down hill. He found everything as represented, and saw the course the animal, or rather animals, for there appeared to be two of different sizes, had taken. He did not obtain a sight of the animals themselves; but from the tunnels they had made, it was conjectured that they had the shape of the guapote fish of the country, were about twelve yards in length, and from impressions left on the wet ground, had "scales like those of the alligators." Ancient tradition, the reporter adds, knows of several monsters of similar size in the neighborhood. To a man of science the account given is altogether unsatisfactory; but before consigning it to the lumber-room of cock-and-bull stories, the affair ought to be looked into more closely. We must not forget that on the very highway of nations, the Isthmus of Panama, one of the largest, if not the largest terrestrial_animal of tropical America (Elasmotherium Bairdi, Gill, or Tapirus Bairdi, J. E. Gray) was allowed to roam about unknown to men of science, though well known to the natives, until quite recently Prof. Gill, of Washington drew attention to it. Since then the poor animal has had no peace. Both in the Zooological Gardens in Regent's Park and the British Museum have issned warrants against him. At the various Panama railway stations a reward is given by British agents to any one who may bring him the new tapir, either dead or alive.

EMIGRATION AT NEW YORK AND THE EMIGRATION BOARD.

This Summer ends the twentieth year since the establishment of the Commissioners of Emigration-and, during that period, four millions of immigrants have arrived at this port, seeking homes under our republican government. Four millions of names-enough to constitute a nation by themselves are recorded upon the books of Mr. Bernard Casserly, General Superintendent of the Board of Emigration.

ORGANIZATION OF THE BOARD OF EMIGRATION.

The Board of Commissioners of Emigration, as at present constituted, was appointed by an act of the Legislature during the session of 1847. Its objects and duties were defined as being for the relief and protection of alien emigrants arriving at the port of New York, and provision was made that such emigrants should be entitled to aid for five years after their arrival: the expenses of the whole system to be defrayed by a small commutation fee, chargeable on every person landed here.

Previous to the passage of this act, the subject of the care and support of the alien emigrants was left either to the general quarantine and poor laws, or to local laws and ordinances, varying sometimes as to provisions, and very often as to their practical administration. A general tax, under State authority, levied on all passengers, was applied to the support of the Marine Hospital at Quarantine; and aliens as well as others suffering under contagious and infectious diseases, such as yellow fever, ship fever or small-pox, was there received; but no provision was made for applying any part of that fund to the relief of those requiring aid under other circumstances. Owners of vessels engaged in the emigration business were required by local ordinances to give bonds to indemnify the city and county in case of the emigrant becoming chargeable under the poor laws.

With the great and rapidly-increasing emigration from 1840 to 1847, these provisions were found very inconvenient to the shipowners, and wholly inadequate to the purpose of affording aid and relief to the emigrant suffering from sickness and destitution. The bonds remaining for a long time uncancelled were onerous to the better classes of shipowners, while in the case of others they were found of no value when attempts were made to enforce them. A more momentous objection to the system was, that from want of proper regulations and restrictions vessels were so overcrowded and the emigrants so poorly cared for as to cause a terrible average of sickness and mortality. This state of things was becoming more and more distressing as emigration grew larger, and the public health was seriously threatened.

Seeing the horrible oppressions, temptations and villianies to which the newly arrived emigrants were exposed, when they were the helpless prey of rapacious emigrant-shipper "runners," boarding-house keepers and canal-boat captains, a few public spirited citizens resolved at this juncture to take the matter in hand, and obtain by means of direct legislation such remidies as the local authorities were powerless to apply to reform these

wrongs.

Among these persons were Archbishop Hughes, Andrew Carrigan, Thomas McElrath, John E. Develin and Addison Gardner. At Albany the attempted reformation encountered a tremendous opposition. The Almshouse Commissioners, the Common Council of this city, and other powerful organizations combined to prevent the passage of the measure; but it was finally carried, and the first effective step was thus taken to abate an evil which was rapidly assuming dangerous proportions.

THE EMIGRANT DEPOT.

Although the new Commissioners abolished many abuses; and contributed largely to the welfare of the emigrants, there were yet malignant

The "boarding

influences at work which were beyond their reach. house" abuses and "ticket swindling" not only continued, but increased. To make an end of these, another appeal was made to the Legislature. A law was passed designating Castle Garden as an emigrant depot, requiring all emigrant passengers to be landed there, under the auspices of the Commissioners, one of whom-John A. Kennedy, the present Superintendent of Police-was designated as Superintendent. And here commenced a long and bitter warfare. All who lived by plundering the emigrants united to break down this barrier, affording, as it did, a safe and pleasant temporary retreat for the stranger. This combination of ruffianism and rascality, embracing boarding-house keepers, ticket agents, baggage smashers and runners was strong, politically and otherwise. Many of them had become wealthy upon their ill-gotten gains. But, after a long struggle they were beaten off, and the emigrants found protection within the walls of Castle Garden.

The warfare did not, however, end here; the ticket agents transferred themselves to Europe, commencing and successfully carrying on their depredations on the other side of the Atlantic. Thousands of emigrants arrived with railroad tickets purchased abroad, for which they had paid not only double and treble the regular fare, but on their arrival here they found themselves with spurious tickets and spurious drafts. Innocent and unprotected girls came consigned to houses of prostitution. To stay these latter practices the Commissioners resolved to send an agent to Europe. The person selected was Mr. Robert Murray, who, receiving letters from Mr. Marcy, the Secretary of State, visited England, Ireland, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Prussia, Germany and Holland, and, by conferences with cabinet ministers and other authorities, was enabled to break up the foreign ticket agency thoroughly.

BENEFITS OF THE NEW SYSTEM.

The system thus established, though not absolutely perfect, has worked exceedingly well. It has at various times been modified or altered in matters of detail, as experiences suggested or legal or practical difficulties occurred; and the reports annually issued by the Board of Commissioners show that the amount of benefit derived from its operations is really incalculable. These reports exhibit, through elaborate statistical columns, how in twenty years from May, 1847, to May, 1867, three millions seven hundred and forty-five thousand six hundred and thirty-three emigrants landed at Castle Garden, in the port of New York. Relief was extended to one third of these, of whom a large proportion were hospital patients, requiring and receiving attention from the highest medical and surgical skill, and the best of hospital care. The expenditure of nearly six millions of dollars has been thereby involved.

This new system has secured results which heretofore were not thought of, among which is the confidence felt by the masses throughout the world: for as soon as the new system was in practical operation, and com. munication arranged between our Government and those of the old world, and advertising and security agencies established, then the tide of emigration multiplied, and continued its enormous increase until in 1854, in ten years from the institution of the Board of Emigration, it reached the

annual figure of three hundred and nineteen thousand two hundred and twenty-three. These were from all parts of the world, the majority from Great Britain and Germany. In twenty years the aggregate number is about four millions, and by the beginning of 1868 it will exceed that amount.

ARRIVALS.

The following table shows the number and nativities of alien emigrants who arrived at Castle Garden from May 5, 1847, to Jan. 1, 1867:

Total emigration since the commencement of the present system was instituted...

reaus.

CASTLE GARDEN.

168,059

8,745,638

The buildings on the Battery called Castle Garden are the depot for the landing of emigrants, and for their transportation to different parts of the country. This depot is the principal one of the Board of Emigration, and whatever other buildings they have erected are but subordinate to this establishment. This department is divided into several subordinate buThe rotunda in the centre of the building is the main depart nent of the commission. In this is the general office of the Board of Emigration, including the office of Mr. Bernard Casserly, General Agent and Superintendent, and the offices and desks of his several clerks. Here are employed a large number of persons of different nationalities, for the offices of clerks and interpreters. These are well educated and intelligent men.

The first department is that of examination. Three men are emplove.. to remain at Quarantine, whose duty it is to board every emigrant ves that enters the port of New York, after having been dulv examined and passed at Quarantine, to give advice to emigrants, obtain information as to their general condition, and to carry out the provisions of the several acts forbidding communication with the emigrants before landing. By this means the emigrant is forewarned of the many runnes for boarding houses, and "baggage smashers," who would fleece him of his money.

This method has been of incalculable service to hundreds of thousands of emigrants.

By the passage of a law of Congress, entitled, "A bill to amend an act entitled 'An act to encourage immigration,'" &c., this was inadvertently taken from the Commissioners and dispensed with, and for which a memorial was presented to the Senate of the United States by the Commissioners and ex officio Commissioners of Emigration apprising them of this negligence.

After landing, the emigrant passes through the examination and registering department of the rotunda. Here they are examined for the purpose of ascertaining if any are liable to be bonded, or in such condition of health as to require hospital care; and the name, occupation, age, birthplace and destination of each, with other necessary particulars, are recorded. The Board has instituted railroad and express departments, with approved agents, whose business it is to provide tickets for their destination and to carry baggage to any part of the city.

There is also a board-and-lodging department, a wash-room, for temporary use; and arrangements are made with certain boarding house keepers of the city, who are present at every arrival, with their prices made public, in order that none of the emigrants may be swindled.

THE LABOR EXCHANGE.

A peculiar institution of the Commission is the labor exchange. Here are always a number awaiting situations, under the protection of the Board. The female department is closely inspected, and the detectives watch every effort made by the runners of brothels for the entrapping of the many girls seeking service as domestics. A large building is erecting to give greater facilities to this branch; and an officer has been appointed for its government.

DEPARTMENTS.

The next is the letter, telegram and information office, for the accommodation of the emigrants in ascertaining the whereabouts of friends. One of the departments most beneficial to the emigrant is the treasury.

Here all his foreign money is exchanged. If his friends have left money for him, on his arrival here he receives it. He may be without funds, through misfortune. He is then given sufficient to meet his present wants, leaving security for its return.

In fact, there are arrangements made to meet every conceivable want of the emigrant, and constant modifications of departments and government are made to adapt themselves to the requirements of the emigrant.

CHARACTER OF THE IMMIGRATION.

By an inspection of the aggregate statement for the twenty years of operations, it is seen that the emigration from Ireland is somewhat in excess. While this has been the case in the history of the emigration of the country, yet, in looking at the reports of 1866 and of the year 1867 to the present week, it will be observed that Germany is at present sending to us a greater number of emigrants than any other nation of the world.