288 [April, 



"The large sized-goose is called by the inhabitants of the Island whom we 

 found six weeks afterwards, the upland goose ; the white one is the male ; these 

 birds are there in great numbers, but are seldom seen in large flocks ; I never saw 

 more than from twelve to twenty, but even in these flocks they will pair off and go 

 two by two at short distances from each other. They are oftener found in pairs en- 

 tirely separated from other geese. I found them away from salt water, and near 

 fresh water ponds. They live principally on a moss that grows there. In sum- 

 mer they lose all their feathers, and then as a matter of course cannot fly ; they 

 therefore keep constantly afloat in these ponds until their feathers grow out; I 

 watched these birds very closely during my stay. I found their habits very much 

 like other tame geese. Their meat is excellent eating, and not so dark as our 

 wild goose. In Patagonia and along the S. E. coast of Soutb America, th^y are 

 also found ; but there they are shy, and difficult to approach within gunshot. 

 Strange to say 1 have never met them on the west coast of South America in the 

 same latitude. 



" The next goose in size is the Kelp goose. The black breasted one is the 

 female ; the pure w^hite, the male. These birds I never saw but in pairs, and 

 never away from the salt water. Their meat is hardly eatable. They are very 

 tame, and live principally among rocks and kelp. The young all look like the 

 female, but the young males afterwards change their feaihersand become white 



" Of the small-sized goose, or the third kind, I shall make but few remarks, 

 as thfir habits are precisely like those of the upland goose. The inhabitants 

 call them the Poran goose. The male and female are alike. They are not 

 near so plenty as the upland goose. They, as well as the kelp goose, are found 

 around Cape Horn, and on the Island of Terra del Fuego. 



" Another bird sent you, of a white color, is, both while flying and walking 

 on the rocks, so like the common domestic pigeon, that it is difficult to tell them 

 apart. Although not w 7 eb-footed, they fly at times great distances from the 

 shore; I never saw more than six or eight together, and generally single. They 

 feed on worms and insects which they pick from the cracks in the rocks, after 

 the tide has fallen. They are called Rock pigeons. 



" Another bird, of which I saw plenty, a kind of Oyster-catcher, is black, with 

 a white breast, a long compressed bill, and long red legs. These birds gene- 

 rally go along the beach in pairs ; and give warning of danger by a long shrill 

 whistle. 



" Another specimen is a bird precisely like the last in habits, but wholly 

 black. I did not find many of them on the Falkland Islands. 



" I found a great many rats and mice on these Islands. Whether they are 

 different from our own or not I am unable to say ; their general habits are the 

 same. The mice, however, I think are smaller than ours ; and the legs of the 

 rats are of a red-flesh color, and almost hairless above the knee joint." 



[Note. The wolf, whose habits are well sketched in the above letter, is Canis 

 antarcticus, Shaw; the upland goose, Bernicla antarctica, Mellon ; the kelp goose, 

 Bernicla magellanica, Mellon ; the small-sized goose, Bernicla inornata, King; 

 rock pigeon, Chionis alba, Foi ster ; the oyster-catcher with white breast, Haema- 

 topus pailiatus, Terara.; the black oyster catcher, Haematopus ater, Vieill.J 



Dr. Genth presented a paper for publication in the Proceedings, en- 

 titled, " Analysis of the Meteoric Iron, from Tucson, Province of So- 

 nora, Mexico." Referred to Dr. Le Conte, Dr. Bridges, and Dr. Wethe- 

 rill. 



Dr. Le Conte desired to call the attention of the members of the 

 Academy to some very grievous misrepresentations contained in the 

 'Catalogue des Larves des Coleopteres', by MM. Chapuis and Candeze, 

 published in the eighth volume of the Memoirs of the Societe Hoyale 

 des Sciences de Liege. The portion he complained of was the article 

 -on the larva of Eurypalpus, (pp. 155-157), which purported to be, and 



