202 VOYAGES OF A NATURALIST 



be found on Easter Island, and it would well 

 repay the trouble and expense of a thorough 

 investigation ; but, if anything is going to be 

 done it must be done soon. Every year makes 

 a great difference to the state of the carvings 

 and caves, as the latter are now much used as 

 shelters for sheep, and in a comparatively short 

 time all traces of any carvings will be worn away 

 by the frequent passing to and fro of these 

 animals. 



It would not be so very difficult for an ex- 

 pedition to visit the island, for at least once every 

 month a schooner or a small steamer leaves 

 Valparaiso and calls there, and I have no doubt 

 that one could easily reach it by these means. 



The whole of my time during our short visit 

 was spent in collecting specimens of natural 

 history, and I had no opportunity of visiting the 

 caves and stone houses. Birds and insects were 

 very scarce in fact, I have never seen an island of 

 the size of Easter Island inhabited by so few 

 birds. 



There is apparently but one species of indigenous 

 land-bird. This bird I did not meet with, but it 

 was described to me by Dr. Macdonald, who saw 

 a single example near the settlement, as being 

 somewhat like a reed-bunting but with a red 

 breast. I believe this to be an undescribed species, 

 and it is unfortunate that no specimen was 

 procured. 



