546 A NATURALIST ON THE "CHALLENGER." 



Lorantlms cuphyllus is the only Loranthus without leaves. 

 It grows only upon the Cereus Quisco. There are, however, 

 species of the genus Misodendron of the Mistletoe family, which 

 are leafless, and yet grow on trees with well-developed leaves, 

 such as the Fuegian Beech Trees. 



Probably the leafless Mistletoe on the Cactus has got rid of 

 its leaves for the same reason as the Cactus, viz., to minimise 

 loss of moisture by evaporation in an arid climate. The Austra- 

 lian Mistletoes possibly are adapting their leaves to the forms of 

 those of the Gum-trees, in order to benefit the trees, and thus 

 themselves, by interfering as little as possible with the vegeta- 

 tion at the roots of their host. They can hardly be supposed 

 to gain by being inconspicuous, but must rather be certain to 

 lose thereby. 



After accompanying me for about half the distance up the 

 Pass, my companion, Lieut. G. E. Bethell, had to return and left 

 me to proceed with a Chilian rustic guide. As a substitute a 

 travelling barber joined us and attached himself to me to my 

 great amusement. It was curious to meet with an equestrian 

 hair-cutter. He had his scissors slung to his saddle. He was a 

 most useful man to me, for, true to his trade, he persisted in 

 talking to me and telling me long stories, riding beside me all 

 day until at last I really began to understand part of what he 

 said, and made rapid progress in Spanish. His great wish was 

 that we should reach the new house that he was building, that I 

 might see it. At last he led me off the road in a turn of the 

 valley which was excessively barren-looking, like the rest of the 

 landscape at this altitude, 7,000 or 8,000 feet. I could see no 

 house, but he led me to a large square block of fallen rock. Here, 

 against the rock on one side, was a sort of pen enclosed on 

 three sides by a wall of roughly piled stones about a yard high 

 and by the rock on the other. 



There was no roof of any kind, but this was the " casa." It 

 measured about six feet square. A hole excavated under the 

 rock at the back was the store-room. My friend motioned me 

 with most elaborate politeness to enter, and offered refreshment. 

 He pressed especially coffee, so I agreed to that, whereupon his 

 servant or assistant, a lad whom we found at the " new house," 



