A BARREN LAKE 177 



" fine place for ducks." A fine place it undoubtedly 

 is, but as for ducks, there were none. In no place 

 have I been more struck with the entire absence 

 of life than in the immediate surroundings of this 

 lake. Although the country appeared to be per- 

 fectly suited to birds and animals, the only living 

 creatures we saw were a single bird, a creeper 

 of the species I have previously described, and 

 one small toad,* found on the margin of the lake : 

 this was in an immature state, black, striped with 

 yellow. 



After leaving the lake we took to the boats 

 again and landed on a small island. On the rocky 

 shore some oyster-catchers were feeding, but they 

 were extremely shy, and we were unable to get 

 within shot of them. A tiny humming-bird was 

 fairly numerous, and several were seen perched 

 on the bare tree-tops. At least two species of 

 humming-birds have been recorded from the Straits 

 of Magellan, but I was unable to identify the ex- 

 amples we saw, as no specimens were obtained. 

 It seemed strange to meet with humming-birds 

 on the chilly coasts of the Magellan Straits : one 

 always associates them with the tropical portions 

 of America. 



We also saw and shot a large rail,| which in size 

 and colouring resembles our moorhen, but has a 

 long curved bill somewhat like that of a curlew 

 in shape, but on a much smaller scale. It is only 



* Na?inophryne variegata. f Rallus vigilantis. 



