CHILI. 19 



Screaming parrots, in numerous flocks, traverse 

 the air: humming-birds, of various kinds, flut- 

 ter round the flowers : a spur-winged water-hen 

 (^Parra ChilensiSy Mol.) fills, with loud cries, the 

 ])lain which separates the bay from Port Saint 

 Vincent: some vultures {Chartartes^ 111.) seek 

 their food on the shore ; and numerous ducks, and 

 other sea-fowl cover the sea, and settle on the 

 banks which rise above the waves near Talca- 

 guano. 



Of ampliibious animals we saw only a small frog, 

 and a little lizard, and I believe we also perceived 

 a snake, though Molina does not mention any. 



Among the Conchyliai we found the Conchole- 

 pas Peruviana and Picus jmttacus remarkable. 



We collected, among other insects, the small 

 Scorpio ChilensiSf which makes an exception to 

 Molina*s rule, that Chili does not contain a poison- 

 ous reptile within its frontiers. * 



After the preliminary labours of Feuillee and 

 Molina, after Ruitz andPavon, after Cavanille, who 

 has described many Chilian jjlants, but sometimes 

 confounded them, there is still much to be done 



* Scorpions are, in general, less dangerous than dreaded. At 

 the Cape of Good Hope, two very large kinds are quite com- 

 mon, each of which is found principally in different parts. In 

 every place the more rare, passes for the most poisonous ; and 

 the truth is, that the sting has no more dangerous consequences 

 than that of a wasp. Our informants spoke after their own ex- 

 perience. Scorpions are a favourite food of monkeys. 



c '2 



