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Observations on Terra del Fuego* 



Species of Fungus used as a staple article of Food. — There is one vegetable 

 production in this country, which is worthy of mention, as it affords a 

 staple article of food to the aborigines. It is a globular fungus, of a 

 bright yellow colour, and of about the size of a small apple, which ad- 

 heres, in vast numbers, to the bark of the beech-trees. It probably 

 forms a new genus, allied to the morell. In the young state, it is elas- 

 tic and turgid, from being charged with moisture. The external skin is 

 smooth, yet slightly marked with small circular pits, like those from 

 the small-pox. When cut in two, the inside is seen to consist of a white 

 fleshy substance, which, viewed under a high power, resembles, from 

 the numerous thread-like cylinders, vermicelli. Close beneath the Sur- 

 face, cup-shaped balls, about one-twelfth of an inch in diameter, are 

 arranged at regular intervals. These cups are filled with a slightly ad- 

 hesive, yet elastic, colourless, quite transparent matter ; and from the 

 latter character, they at first appeared empty. These little gelatinous 

 balls could be easily detached from the surrounding mass, except at the 

 upper extremity, where the edge divided itself into threads, which 

 mingled with the rest of the vermicelli-like mass. The external skin di- 

 rectly above each of the balls is pitted, and as the fungus grows old, it 

 is ruptured, and the gelatinous mass, which no doubt contains the spo- 

 rules, is disseminated. After this process of fructification has taken place, 

 the whole surface becomes honey-combed, with empty cells, and the 

 fungus shrinks, and grows tougher. In this state it is eaten by the 

 Fuegians, in large quantities, uncooked, and when well chewed, has a 

 mucilaginous and slightly sweet taste, together with a faint odour like 

 that of a mushroom. Excepting a few berries of a dwarf arbutus, which 

 need hardly be taken into the account, these poor savages never eat any 

 other vegetable food besides this fungust. 



Forests. — I have already mentioned the sombre and dull character 

 of the forests,:}: in which two or three species of trees grow, to the ex- 

 clusion of all others. Above the forest land there are many dwarf 



* From Mr Darwin's valuable and interesting " Journal and Remarks 

 made during the Exploratory Expedition of the Adventure and Beagle." 

 London, Colburn. 1839. 



t In New Zealand, before the introduction of the potato, the root of the 

 fern was consumed in large quantities. At the present day, I should think 

 Terra del Fuego was the only country in the world where a cryptogamic plant 

 afforded a staple article of food. 



t Captain Fitzroy informs me, that in April (our October), the leaves of 

 those trees which grow near the base of the mountains change colour, but 

 not those in the more elevated parts. I remember having read some obser- 



