l8o NATURAL SCIENCE. September, 



mostly quite new to me, and this was the only occasion on which 

 I found Cumacea, an order so characteristic of Arctic and 

 northern seas. It will be interesting to discover whether these forms 

 are characteristic of these remote waters, or whether they are also 

 found in the outer parts of the southern Chilian Archipelago, in which 

 case they must have been pressed in the embryo stage by the tide 

 through one of the two passages into the almost fresh surface-water 

 of Ultima Esperanza, 



In other respects, which I can only enter into briefly, was this 

 inlet interesting. It was remarkably rich in waterfowl ; the beautiful 

 black-necked swan [Cygniis nigricollis, Gmel.) was far more abundant 

 here than near Gente Grande Bay, where I had observed numbers 

 before. Also worth recording was the unexpected appearance of a 

 great shoal of whales in the innermost water, which was so fresh that 

 the sailors used to drink it. So close were they that I recognised 

 them as belonging to the Mystacoceti, and probably to the genus 

 Balanoptera. Their size was estimated at about 50 feet ; they were 

 blackish in colour and the back was provided with a high and pointed 

 fin, so that at a distance they resembled our northern Orca gladiator. 



In regard to spiders and insects I was glad to find several species 

 not met with in Tierra del Fuego, though possibly in part identical with 

 those of the south Chilian coast. Still, I believe there must be a good 

 deal of difference between the terrestrial fauna of Ultima Esperanza 

 and that of the exterior archipelago, seeing that the climate of the former 

 is more like that of the eastern parts of Patagonia, that is to say, with 

 less rain and greater differences between the mean summer and winter 

 temperatures — climatic conditions which exercise a great influence on 

 the fauna as well as on the flora. I regret greatly that I did not have 

 time enough to make larger collections from this part, which, being 

 quite unexplored, will yield interesting results to both the zoologist 

 and the botanist ; but on April 5 we were obliged to leave. Stopping 

 at the Otter Islands and at Borja Bay to make collections, I reached 

 Punta Arenas three days later, and arrived at Plymouth, after an 

 absence from Europe of eight months, on May 17. 



I may now add a few words as to how operations were carried 

 on. I have before hinted at what I thought the most important 

 points, viz., to visit countries hitherto unexplored, and especially such 

 seas as seem from their physical structure to be highly interesting, 

 e.g., the Atlantic coast of Tierra del Fuego, Lago Fagnano, and 

 Ultima Esperanza. I tried in vain to get an opportunity of visiting 

 the Otway and Skyring waters, never explored, so far as I know, for 

 zoological purposes. Another point is to secure, if possible, a thoroughly 

 representative collection of well-preserved terrestrial and marine 

 specimens from a limited district. Although I am well aware that 

 Michaelsen and Plate, among other naturalists, have done excellent 

 work just in the neighbourhood of Punta Arenas, I hope my col- 

 lections may contain some forms overlooked by these two eminent 



