126 Letters, Announcements, &^c. 



Sandy Point and Port Gallant ; and at the latter place its sharp 

 note was almost the only sound that broke the death-like still- 

 ness of the woods. One or two species of Furnarius, or some 

 closely allied form, were met with in the open country ; and what 

 seems to be a small species of Synallaxis was shot on Sandy 

 Point. In the woods two species of Woodpecker occurred — 

 the larger [Picas magellanicus) in greater numbers than the 

 smaller one, of whose name I am ignoi*ant. A long-tailed Green 

 Parakeet was also very plentiful, flying in small flocks and 

 attracting attention by its shrill cries. A Red-breasted Star- 

 ling (I suppose the Icterus militarist was common in the open 

 country about Gregory, St. Jago, and Possession Bays; and a 

 black Icterus was met with at Sandy Point, and Port Famine. A 

 Kingfisher was shot at Port Gallant ; and I procured specimens 

 of one or two species of Si/lvicolidce and Fringillidcp from various 

 localities. In the neighbourhood of Peckett Harbour I obtained 

 specimens of two curious little birds, which I suppose to belong 

 to the genera Thinocurus and Attagis; but of this I am not 

 certain. At Sandy Point a Snipe was rather plentiful in the 

 open ground; and two or three species of Sandpiper occurred. 

 A large Ibis, which I presume to be the Theristicus melanops, 

 was seen not unfrequently on open ground in various localities 

 during the earlier months of our stay in the Straits — Decem- 

 ber, January, and February. It was very shy and wary ; and it 

 was long before a specimen was procured. It flies in small 

 flocks of from four to eight, and has a singular cry, resembling 

 the syllables " qua-qua," " qua-qua.^' We found it rather good 

 eating. The Rhea americana we saw on various occasions, and 

 once or twice came across its eggs. The berries of the Pernettya 

 pumila and Einpetrum rubrum constitute part of its food. The flesh, 

 which we ate on sevei'al occasions, is dark-coloured but extremely 

 good, somewhat resembling tender beef. The bird is termed 

 " Yaxe^''by thePatagonians. In speakingof thesmallbirds, 1 ought 

 not to have omitted a Thrush, which sings remarkably sweetly. 

 Then, as to the Palmipedes, Cormorants, as I have already 

 stated, are the most numerous of all the birds in the Straits ; and 

 we observed three or four species. A species of Penguin is 

 rather connnon [Aptenodytes magellanicus) ; and I saw a singls 



