32 VOYAGE TO THE 



chap, sometimes fly in an unbroken line of two miles and 

 w ^ more in length. The quebranta huessos, the black- 

 °i825 er ' backed gull, a species of tern, and two or three 

 species of pelican, one of which pursues its food in a 

 very entertaining manner. It first soars to a great 

 height, and then suddenly darts into the sea, splash- 

 ing the water in all directions : in a few seconds, it 

 emerges and resumes its lofty flight until again 

 attracted by its prey, when it plunges into the sea 

 as before ; and thus the flock, for these birds are 

 gregarious, ranges over the whole bay, performing 

 all its motions in concert and with a surprising ra- 

 pidity. The penguin is also here, and a very large 

 species of duck, the female of which has a callosity 

 on the shoulder of each wing, and is very excellent 

 eating ; a species of colymbus with lobed toes ; cur- 

 lews, sea-pies, horned plovers, a beautiful species of 

 chaverey, with iridescent plumage ; the oyster-eater, 

 or razor-bill, and sanderlings ; turkey buzzards, the 

 condor, several species of hawks, owls, black-birds, 

 and wood-pigeons, the latter of which are very large 

 and good to eat ; a very beautiful species of duck, 

 frequenting the marshes and lakes between Talca- 

 huana and Conception ; partridges, a species of wood- 

 pecker, a dark-brown fringilla, with a beautiful scar- 

 let breast, a species of loxia, turdus, hirundo, ampe- 

 lis, not remarkable for their plumage, and numerous 

 flocks of green parrots, which the Chilian Spaniard, 

 who eats almost every kind of bird, has no objection 

 to place upon his table. The domesticated fowls 

 are the same here as in Europe. The reptiles are 

 few, and not venomous : small lizards are extremely 

 common on the rocks, and among the trees. There 

 are one or two species of snakes ; a large one resem- 



