CONDORS AND STEAMER-DUCKS 163 



the east of the Straits to Punta Arenas, bare and 

 sandy. Here in the desert were numbers of 

 huanacos,* large parties of them were standing 

 close to the shore. Unfortunately, we had no 

 opportunities for landing, and had, therefore, 

 to be content with a distant view of these 

 animals. 



As soon as Punta Arenas — the only town in the 

 Straits of Magellan — is reached, the aspect of the 

 land entirely changes ; mountains and trees take 

 the place of the desert, and on every side one gets 

 the impression of fertility. The large trees, of 

 which these forests are composed, are of two 

 species : the deciduous Antarctic beech| and the 

 evergreen beech, J the former being by far the 

 more abundant. 



While passing through the first " narrows " a 

 fine, if distant, view was obtained of three condors, § 

 which were sailing, or rather circling, round a wall 

 of rock close to the water. This was the only 

 occasion on which we saw this magnificent bird, 

 and from what we heard, I fear that it is not 

 nearly so abundant as it was a few years ago, 

 but what has caused the decrease it is difficult to 

 say. 



The steamer-duck II has also undoubtedly de- 

 creased in number of late years. It cannot now 

 be called abundant — the description given by the 



* Llama huanacos. f Fagus antarcticus. % F. betuloides. 

 § Sarcorhamphus gryphus. \\ Tachyeres cinereus. 



