PLANTS OF THE STHAIT OF JUAaELLAJ*. 191 



repens, Next morning we went on our way, and in the evening 

 arrived at Port Nevada, about a third of the way down the 

 Chonos group. 



This day, which was tolerably fine, we had excellent oppor- 

 tunities of observing in what a very vague manner the archi- 

 pelago is laid down in the maps and charts hitherto published ; 

 for, instead of consisting of a few large islands, as commonly re* 

 presented, it is formed of myriads of small ones. We reached 

 Port Laguna about ten miles north of the Darwin Channel by 

 noon on the 25th, and there remained for the rest of the day, 

 which allowed me an opportunity of exploring the neighbour- 

 hood. Some others were seen, and we picked up some skulls of 

 the Coypou {Myopofamus). 



Some specimens of the ChJoepliaga poliocepJiala were shot. This 

 very beautiful goose we have met with in many localities in the 

 channels and western part of the Strait of Magellan, where 

 the Upland Goose (C. magellanicd), so common in the eastern 

 part of the Strait and Falkland Islands, is very scarce. The 

 vegetation of Port Laguna was intermediate in its character be- 

 tween that of Chiloe and the Channels : Fodocarpus nuhigenus, 

 Metrosideros stipularis^ Emhothrium coccineum^ Lomatiaferruginea^ 

 ^ernettya mucronata^ Philesia luxifolia^ Desfontainia spinosa, Te- 

 coma valdiviana, Berheris dulcis^ and a low tree which I first met 

 with last year at Playa Parda, and which I have since found to 

 extend throuorliout the Channels, and as far north as Chiloe, and 

 which appears to be a species of Fanax, were amongst the pre- 

 vailing plants. The Chusqucsa^ so abundant in Chiloe, Escallonia 

 macrantJia^ and JBerheris Darmnii were met with for the last 

 time. On the tree-trunks I obtained some beautiful flowering 

 specimens of Cailixene polgpTiglla, as well as examples of the 

 G-esueraceous creeper I found last year at Port Otway, and 

 which, I suppose, is a species of Columnea. Mitraria coccinea 

 was in fine flower ; but, as one of my last years' letters will have 

 informed you, this is by no means its southernmost habitat. 



Next day we parted with our pilot, and passed through the 

 Darwin Channel into the open sea, a circumstance which did not 

 add to our comfort, as we encountered a very heavy swell, which 

 caused the ' Nassau ' to go through a series of the most wonder- 

 fvd evolutions. 

 We entered the Messier Channel early on the afternoon of the 



