Geographical Collections. 359 



noticed in many places on the shores of these lakes, and the bones of 

 Guanacoes were scattered about. The mountains near the middle of the 

 Strait of Magalhanes are generally about 3000 feet high, although some 

 attain the height of 4000 feet. The line of perpetual snow in the strait was 

 found to be about 3500 to 4000 feet above the level of the sea. Captain 

 King observed, that those mountains whose height does not exceed 3000 

 feet, are frequently during the summer free from snow, excepting in their 

 recesses, where a large quantity is accumulated by drifting, and by being 

 protected from the sun. 



Captain King mentions a circumstance relative to the temperature of the 

 climate, which is very remarkable. During the summer, he has been em- 

 ployed at his observatory the greater part of the night, when the thermometer 

 has been as low as the freezing point, both within and outside of it, and, 

 although not warmly clad, he felt no sort of inconvenience from the cold ; 

 and, in the winter time also, the thermometer has been at 24, without any 

 inconvenience being felt. He attributes this to the peculiar stillness of the 

 atmosphere on the coast, although at a short distance at sea in the offing, the 

 wind was high. There are other peculiarities in this climate, which also 

 attracted the attention of Captain King. One is the extraordinary warmth of 

 the sea near its surface, compared with the state of the atmosphere. In the 

 month of June, a diiFerence of 30 degrees was found between the tempera- 

 ture of each ; the consequence of which is, that the sea is covered with a 

 cloud of steam, and this may, in some measure, account for the prevalence 

 of fogs. Another extraordinary circumstance relating to the climate is, that 

 parrots and humming birds, generally the inhabitants of warm regions, are 

 numerous in the southern and western parts of the strait ; they were even 

 observed on the wing during a snow shower, and after a constant succession 

 of rain, snow, and sleet ; the latter have been seen sipping the sweets of the 

 fuschia and other flowers, while the thermometer was at the freezing point. 

 The Patagonian Indians have a peculiar custom of visiting the graves of 

 their dead annually, for the purpose of collecting the bones, to be conveyed 

 to the family sepulchres. The coast between the latitudes of 41° and 51° 

 is frequented by them for that purpose. Near Port Desire, Captain King 

 stated, that he had seen the graves of these Indians on the summit of hills, 

 but the bodies had been removed, probably by their relatives, for the above- 

 mentioned purpose. When placed in the sepulchre, they are adorned with 

 beads, and as many ornaments as can be collected for the purpose ; the 

 ceremony being performed by certain women of the tribe, whose peculiar 

 office it is to attend to these rites. 



A Visit to the Pyramids of Teotihualcan, from Mexico Lieut. Glennicj^ 



who has transmitted to the Royal Geographical Society an account of his' 

 journey to these pyramids, places the village in lat. 19° 42' N. and Ion. 98° 

 51' E. ; the variation of the needle 9° 49' E. ; and its elevation 7492 feet 

 above the sea. The pyramids are distant about a mile and a half from the 

 village, the largest of which was found to be 727 feet square at its base, and 

 height 221 feet, with two of its sides parallel to the meridian. A rampart, of 

 about 30 feet in height, surrounds this pyramid, at the distance of 350 feet 

 from its base, on the north side of which are the remains of a flight of steps, 

 with a road leading from them in a northerly direction, covered with a white 

 cement. The remains of steps were also found on the pyramids, which 

 were also covered with the same sort of white cement, as well as broad 

 terraces extending across the sides. The number of pyramids surrounding 

 the large one were estimated by Mr Glennie at above 200, varying in their 

 dimensions. They are all constructed with volcanic stones, and plaster 

 from the adjacent soil. They are coated with white cement, and the ground 

 between their bases seems formerly to have been occupied as streets, being 

 also covered with the same sort of cement. A smaller pyramid than that 



