82 VOYAGE TO THE 



geese are said to be good, to eat, but we found them 

 all fishy ; not so the ducks, the greater part of which 

 are very palatable : these birds, of which we procured 

 about twenty species, and the mallard, are so common 

 that several were frequently killed at one shot. It was 

 observed that some kinds of ducks always preferred 

 salt water to the lakes, particularly a species with a 

 dark-coloured body and a white head, which we did not 

 obtain. Among those which frequent the fresh water 

 there were generally an abundance of water-hens. Pe- 

 licans (peUcanus onocratiilus) may be seen morning 

 and evening winging their long hue of flight across 

 the harbour, and settling upon the little island of Al- 

 catrasses, which they have completely covered with 

 their exuviae, and rendered extremely ofl^ensive to per- 

 sons passing near the place. Shags (pelicanus gracu- 

 lus) also abound in the harbour. I ought to have 

 noticed in its proper place the humming bird, which, 

 notwithstanding the high latitude of the country, is 

 an inhabitant of the woods, and if we may rely upon 

 Padre Tomaso, may be seen there all the year round. 

 We noticed several of them fluttering about some 

 . gooseberry bushes near our anchorage, and shot one 

 in full flesh : as this was in the middle of winter, the 

 information of the j:fadre was probably correct. 



To this list of birds several were added the succeed- 

 ing year at INIounterey, which, being found so near 

 the place we are describing, may justly be classed with 

 them : these consisted of the golden-winged wood- 

 pecker, a goat-sucker, several species of small birds 

 unknown to us, and a golden-crested wren. At this 

 place there were also several species of piciis. 



I shall pass rapidly over the reptiles, which are not 

 numerous at San Francis co^, and none were procured 



