177S- ROUND THE WOULD. 18Q 



lews; but wc only saw a few straggling pairs. It 

 may not be amiss to observe, that the shags are the 

 same bird which Bougainville calls saw-bills ; but he 

 is mistaken in saying that the quebrantahuessas are 

 their enemies ; for this bird is of the peterel tribe, 

 feeds wholly on fish, and is to be found in all the 

 high southern latitudes. 



It is amazing to see how the different animals, 

 which inhabit this little spot, are mutually reconciled. 

 They seem to have entered into a league not to dis- 

 turb each other's tranquillity. The sea-lions occupy 

 most of the sea-coast ; the sea-bears take up their 

 abode in the isle ; the shags have post in the highest 

 cliffs ; the penguins fix their quarters where there is 

 the most easy communication to and from the sea ; 

 and the other birds chuse more retired places. We 

 have seen all these animals mix together, like domes- 

 tic cattle and poultry in a farm-yard, without one 

 attempting to molest the other. Nay, I have often 

 observed the eagles and vultures sitting on the hil- 

 locks among the shags, without the latter, either 

 young or old, being disturbed at their presence. It 

 may be asked how these birds of prey live ? I sup- 

 pose, on the carcasses of seals and birds which die 

 by various causes ; and probably not few, as they are 

 so numerous. 



This very imperfect account is written more with 

 a view to assist my own memory, than to give infor- 

 mation to others. I am neither a botanist nor a na- 

 turalist - 7 and have not words to describe the produc- 

 tions of nature, either in the one branch of know- 

 ledge or the other. 



