LOCAL DISTEIBUTION. 51 



described as flitting about in a snow-storm. In 

 the wooded island of Chiloe, which has an ex- 

 tremely humid climate, this little bird, skipping 

 from side to side amidst the dripping foliage is 

 perhaps more abundant than almost any other 

 kind. It there very commonly frequents open 

 marshy ground, where a kind of Bromelia grows ; 

 hovering near the edge of the thick beds, it 

 every now and then dashed close to the ground; 

 but I could not see whether it ever actually 

 alighted. At the time of the year I refer to 

 there were few flowers, and none whatever near 

 the beds of Bromelia. Hence I was quite sure 

 they did not live on honey ; and on opening the 

 stomach and upper intestine, by the aid of a 

 lens, I could plainly distinguish in a yellow fluid 

 morsels of the wings of diptera, probably tipu- 

 lidae. It is evident that these birds search for 

 minute insects in their winter quarters under 

 the thick foliage. I opened the stomachs of 

 several specimens which were shot in different 

 parts of the continent, and in all, remains of in- 

 sects were so numerous as often to present a 

 black comminuted mass as in the stomach of a 

 creeper," (Certhia.) 



In Central Chile these birds are migratory, 

 they make their appearance there in autumn, 

 and in the latter end of the month correspond- 

 ing to our October, they were very common. 

 In the spring, they began to disappear, and on 

 the 12th of what would correspond to our March, 



