458 EXTRACTS FROM 



" There is a poor specimen of a bird, v/hich to my un-orni- 

 thological eyes appears to be a happy mixture of a lark, pigeon, 

 and snipe. Mr. M'Leay himself never imagined such an 

 inosculating creature." — P. 8. 



'* I have taken some mteYesting j^ mphibia ; SifineBipes; 

 a new Trigonocephalus, in its habits beautifully connecting 

 Crataliis and Viperus : and plenty of new (as far as my know- 

 ledge goes), Saurians. As for one little toad, I hope it may be 

 new that it may be christened Diaholicus. Milton must allude 

 to this very individual when he talks of ' squat like a toad.' " — 

 P. 8. 



" Amongst the pelagic Crustacea, some new and curious 

 genera. Among Zoophites some interesting animals. As for 

 one, Flustra, if I had not the specimen to back me, nobody 

 would believe in its most anomalous structure. But, as for 

 novelty, all this is nothing to a family of pelagic animals, which 

 at first sight appear like Medusa, but are highly organized. 

 I have examined them repeatedly, and certainly, from their 

 structure, it would be impossible to place them in any existing 

 order. Perhaps Jalpa is the nearest animal, although the 

 transparency of the body is almost the only character which 

 they have in common." — P. 9. 



" The southern ocean is nearly as sterile as the continent it 

 washes. Crustacea have afforded me the most work. I 

 found a Zoe of the most curious form, its body being only 

 one-sixth the length of the two spears. I am convinced, from 

 its structure and other reasons, it is a young Erichthus. I 

 must mention part of the structure of a decapod, it is so very 

 anomalous : the last pair of legs are small and dorsal ; but 

 instead of being terminated by a claw, as in all others, it has 

 three curved bristle-like appendages ; these are finely serrated, 

 and furnished with cups somewhat resembling those of the 

 Cephalopods. The animal being pelagic, this beautiful struc- 

 ture enables it to hold on to light floating objects. I have 

 found out something about the propagation of that ambiguous 

 tribe the Corallines." — P. 11. 



" But what is of more general interest is the unquestionable 

 (as it appears to me) existence [in Patagonia] of another species 

 of ostrich besides the Struthio ostrea. All the Guachos and 

 Indians state it is the case : and I place the greatest faith in 

 their observations. I have the head, neck, piece of skin, 



