IIQ [October, 



Zygcena malleus, was quite common in the roadstead, the dorsal fins of four or five 

 individuals being often in sight at once, and a small, but fine, specimen of this most 

 extraordinary fish was caught by one of our officers. 



Proceeding southwards, the fleet arrived at Iquique on January 23rd, and left 

 again on the 26th. Here, although the whole country is as completely destitute of 

 vegetation as can well be imagined (save for a few Cacti), \ noticed Pyrameis Carye, 

 a Pyrgtis, and a small Agrotis, in the course of a walk along the beach. 



The fleet reached Valparaiso on Februai'y 6th, having called in at Coquimbo 

 for a day or two, en route. During our stay here of about a fortnight, I found 

 plenty to do in the way of collecting, both in the neighbourhood of Valparaiso, and 

 at El Salto ; the weather being beautifully fine, although the best part of the season 

 for insects was over. Among the butterflies _tlie fritillary Euptoieta Hortensia, 

 Blanchard, was by no means rare, especially at El Salto, and was a welcome additi 

 to my collection. Its larva occurred in plenty on a wiry, viscid plant with blu 

 flowers like those of a Campanula, growing on the railway-banks, but they were 

 small, and I failed to rear any to the perfect state. The two pretty Satyri 

 NeomcEnas Seroilia, Wallgr., and N. coenonymphina, Butler, were not scarce on tl 

 hills behind Valparaiso, among the arborescent grass, but were usually much wo: 

 especially the former. A good many moths, new to me, chiefly Geometrce, we 

 obtained by beating, and a specimen of the fine grey sphinx, Protoparce JEuryloch 

 Phil., was a very welcome addition. Larvae were generally scarce, though I aj 

 found those of Dellephila spinifascia in small numbers on the " Quilo." 



The " Kingfisher " left Valparaiso on February 23rd for a short trip t 

 Talcahuano, where we arrived on the evening of the 25th. Here the aspect of th' 

 country gives evidence of a much moister climate than that of Valparaiso and th^' 

 farther north ; the hill-sides being clothed with fine and luxuriant forest, chiefl 

 consisting of evergreen trees and shrubs : while in the direction of the large to"w I 

 of Concepcion (12 miles distant) and round the head of the Bay of Talcaliuano, tl';' 

 land is generally flat, sandy, and marshy, with a copious growth of thistles, coari; 

 grass, wild mint, reeds, &c. The common bramble forms a great part of the hedge'!: 

 which were loaded with splendid blackberries, here neglected even by the boys : ai' 

 in the woods, the beautiful and well-known climbing plant, Lapageria rosea (kno^Ji 

 in Chile as " Copigue ") is a frequent and conspicuous object, with its lovely 

 crimson flowers. The whole surrounding country is very pretty and producti^p j 

 wheat being the chief crop ; and, as during our stay of nine days the weather mI sNj 

 all that could be desired, I had no reason to complain of any want of success 

 collecting. 



I met with some twenty species of butterflies in all, the greater number occ ' 

 ring in damp fields at the foot of the hills behind Talcahuano, and on the banks ' 

 the railway to Concepcion. Of these, the most abundant was Colias Vautieri, Gu ■. 

 which literally swarmed, but was in such exquisitely fresh condition that, cornn) 

 as it is throughoiat Chile, I could not resist taking a long series. Next in point f 

 numbers came a beautiful little skipper of the genus Carter ocephalus (I think '• 

 flavomaculatus, Blanch.) which I had never seen before, but which was so plent 1 

 in certain spots among long grass, that I sometimes had four or five in the net 

 once. A small dusky-brown Pamphila (? P. fusca, Keed) was not rare on ^ 



