46 



even flowers were not .missing, but the room was icy 

 cold although a big stove stood apparently quite ready to 

 burn but had no fire. 



Upon my asking the host to light a fire, he answered 

 that the stove did not give warmth, only smoke. 



I asked him to try, and in ten minutes volumes of smoke 

 filled the room. 



I happened however to know the kind of stove and 

 soon put things right, so that a genial heat replaced the 

 smoke. The host was very much astonished but . . . fuel 

 is very scarce in some parts of Tierra del Fuego. 



I now asked for my dinner but this was not easier to 

 get than the heat and consisted of one Qg^ and a slice of 

 meat and a little bread. Nothing else was to be got! say 

 what I would ! 



So I went to bed rather hungry enjoining my hostess 

 to get me something more next morning. 



This she did and next morning after breakfast I enjoyed 

 the beautiful view of the situation of Porvenir (the capital 

 of Chilian Tierra del Fuego). 



The settlement lays at the end of the deep bay which 

 looks more or less like a lake and is surrounded by raising 

 ground. 



Round the bay were large flocks of Chloëphaga disjiar. 

 In the water were some pairs of Steamer Ducks^ and 

 several |ja//*s of Anas cristata were flying about, often 

 coming quite near. 



The male of these last birds seemed a little larger than 

 the female and showed more ivhite in the wing. 



They were very pretty birds and quite tame. 



I afterwards heard that the bay was a sanctuary where 

 no birds were allowed to be shot. 



The Steamer Ducks of the flying small species in the bay 

 also went in pairs and I may as well tell my opinion and 

 my experience at once of these birds. 



It is a subject of controversy amongst ornithologists 

 whether there are one or tiro species of Steamer Ducks. 



It is my opinion that there is not the slightest doubt 



Notes from the Leyden ]VIuseum, "Vol. XXXV. 



