GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 327 



moved tlie whole body, and also came up to the 

 surface of the water to draw breath. 



We collected three hundred and eighteen kinds 

 of the autumnal plants, in Chili, among which, one 

 hundred and sixty-eight DicotyledoneSy thirty-five 

 MonocotyledoneSy and only fifteen Filices ; con- 

 sequently, the proportion of the Dicotyledones to 

 the Monocotyledones is five to one. From the port 

 of Talcaguano to the town of Conception we could 

 observe three distinct Floras or kinds of vege- 

 tation : the first on low hills, covered with clay, 

 towards the sea, was distinguished by its beautiful 

 myrtle groves, and thickets of Guevina^ in the 

 shade of which grew large parasite plants, Lianes, 

 for example, Lapageria, Lardizabcday &c. The 

 more unfruitful spots of these eminences, were 

 made green by the shrub-like Pitcairnia coarctata, 

 with long prickly leaves. The second Flora was 

 in the large sandy valley, scarcely rising above the 

 level of the sea, and extending from Talcaguano 

 to Conception ; CEnothercc and Cory^nbiferce were 

 chiefly in blossom at this season. The third 

 Flora commenced at Conception, on the mountains 

 of mouldering granite. We hardly touched upon 

 this at all. 



In Easter Island, we could not find, all along the 

 west coast, any of the numerous statues, described 

 by all navigators who have visited this island ; only 

 a pedestal seemed to remain ; we saw four upright 

 black blocks on the S. E. coast, but at a great dis- 



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