T 



FUh. 



American ottri from that of Af-Vs, in 



three to<s in place of two, and i 

 of any horny tubstince upon its wings, and of call' 

 on the sternum. It is inferior a!.<o in <,ire, hut fully its 

 equal in voracity, and will swallow iron if prerented. 

 Parrots, particularly the species nanwd jnguilma, are re- 

 markably namerous, and fre qntntly lay waste the fields 

 to great extent : Fortunately they do not arrive from 

 the Andet till after harvest, and in compensation, their 

 flesh affords a delicious food to theinhsbitants. Among 

 birds of song, the Ihetica stands incomparably the first, 

 both for the sweetness and variety of its music. In al- 

 luiion to trie last property, h has been called, in Mexico, 

 the cenlxmllatottf, or the four hundred tongues. Its 

 tonj* gives the idea of a great number of birds uniting 

 their voices in the most perfect harmony. The sprightly 

 and active disposition of this bird cannot be reconciled to 

 captivity, where it pines and dies. The cttreii is another 

 of the thrush kind, which, besides its great powers of music 

 and imitation, is remarkable for the singular propensity 

 which it sometimes exhibits of destroy ing smaller birds, in 

 order to feast upon their brains. There are three species of 

 the humming bird, all of the most dazzling splendour, 

 and some of them extremely diminutive : the smallest 

 weighs only two grains. Among the aquatic birds, 

 we may notice a species of pelican, whose sack, from 

 its transparency, is employed for lanterns. The fla- 

 mingo, which, from the length and formation of its 

 legs, is unable, after the manner of other birds, to cover 

 itt eggs by stooping ; but when hatching them has the 

 ludicrous appearance of sitting upon a chair, the nest 

 for its accommodation being raised in a conical form. 

 The pi/lu, a kind of ibis, which is about the si/e of a 

 goose, and remarkable for the length of its legs, which 

 measure upwards of two feet and a naif ; and the peiignin, 

 of which there are several varieties. 



Though it has been observed, in general, that the ani- 

 mal productions of Chili are less numerous than those of 

 other countries in America, the remark docs not hold 

 in the case of fishes, which are found every where along 

 the coast, and in the rivers in immenrc variety and pro- 

 fusion. Exclusive of the fresh water kinds, the fishermen 

 are acquainted with 76 species of esculent fish, most of 

 which are peculiar and entirely unknown in the northern 

 ocean. Those most in request are the robnlo and the cor- 

 vino, both white in their flesh, and of a delicious flavour. 

 The lisa, which in form and taste resembles the mullet, 

 and the klMftJUk, so named from the excellence of its 

 flavour. The (olio is remarkable for two spines of a tri- 

 angular shape, very hard and crooked at the point ; 

 which are mentioned as a powerful remedy for the tooth- 

 ach ; the effect is simply produced by the application of 

 one of these points to the diseased tooth. The follow- 

 ing are common to other seas, the skate, the ray, the tor- 

 "pcdo, the cod, the sole, the whiting, the turbot, the tun- 

 ny and the mackerel ; the barbet, the mullet, the anchovy, 

 the electrical eel, and the sword-fish. At the i-hnds of 

 Juan Fernandr/ the cod is as plentiful and at readily ta- 

 ken as on the banks of Newfoundland. It has lately also 

 been fished with success on the coast of Valparaiso, where 

 it arrives in large shoals, during the months of November 

 and December. The fresh waters of Chili supply fish 

 in less variety, but in still greater numbers than t hi 

 Of these, the finest arc the trntit, the canrjni, : 

 the yuli, the cutiuirca, the lisa, which is ot the sa" 

 cits with the salt water fish of that name a're 

 but of a superior qnality ; and the tir 

 low, and o I all others the'most etteern 

 afiurdi a great number of crabt and r .'liable 



-d croodness 5 oysttrt, musclrt, cocltt, lar- 

 .ciet of nwlliitcas. There is also a 



kind .'.m duals of which have been caught 



of a hundred and fifty pounds weight. Eels are confined 

 to the provinces of Araucania, where they are taken in 

 '.hmidauce. In the river T.illon is found a small 

 li h called pai/f, which is represented by the natives at 

 so extremely transparent, that any object placed under 

 several of these animals piled the one above the other, 

 would still remain perfectly visible. " If this property," 

 says Molina, " is not greatly exaggerated, the paye might 

 serve to discover the secret progress of digestion, and the 

 motion of the fluids." Whales, equal in size to those of 

 the northern ocean, make their appearance in great num- 

 bers in quest of fish, at the mouths of the Chilian ri\vr?. 

 Molina was himself witness to the dimensions of one of 

 these animals, which had been cast ashore on the coast 

 of the Chones, and which measured 96 feet in length. 



Chili contains but few reptiles ; these are the salt and 

 fresh water turtles, lizards, frogs, toads, and a species 

 of serpent, not exceeding three feet in length, which ii 

 perfectly harmless. Various incredible relations have 

 been propagated of an immense water serpent, wliich it 

 said to prey upon men and the larger animals, but have 

 received little countenance from the more respectable 

 authorities. 



Of the insect tribe, we may notice a kind of chryso- 

 nie/a, which is of a bright golden colour, and when 

 strong together like beads, is used by the inhabitants for 

 necklaces and other ornaments ; caterpillars, one of 

 which, found between the rivers Rap^l and Metaquito, 

 produces a silk not inferior to that of Europe ) a spe- 

 cies of water-fly, which, from its agreeable musky odour, 

 the inhabitants make use of to perfume their clothes. 

 There are likewise bees, ants, scorpions, glow-worms, 

 a single species of grashopper, and a Few beetles. Chili 

 is neither infested with gnats, wasps, nor musquitoee. 

 Molina describes a spider, which he says is the only one 

 known in the country, grows to the size of a hen's egg, 

 and ia quite inoffensive. Byron, however, mentions in 

 his Narrative, a large venomous spider, whose bite will 

 prove mortal, if proper remedies are not speedily ap- 

 plied. He was himself bit by one of them on the face, 

 while at St Jago, and his whole cheek, in consequence, 

 became perfectly black. The poison was extracted, he 

 tells us, by the application of a bluish coloured stone, 

 which sticks of itself to the wound, and drops off when 

 saturated. 



Though Chili supplies great abundance of raw ma- 

 terials, such as wool, skins, metals, flax, and hemp, the 

 manufacturing industry has hitherto been extremely li- 

 mited. The principal articles of manufactures are wool- 

 uifFs, converted into cloaks, quilts, ponchos, car- 

 pets, etockings, and blankets ; cordovan and sole lea- 

 ther, soap, skin coata, saddles, and hats. 



The external commerce of Chili is carried on with 

 Peru, Spain, and Buenos Ayres. About twenty years 

 ago, twenty-three vessels were employed in the trade 

 with Peru, each of (>00 tons. They made three voyages 

 annually, and exported wheat, wine, almonds, nuts, pears, 

 apples, conserves, [> 1 meat, neat-tongues, and 



|p, leather, t;illow, cordage, copper, and 

 timber for building. The imports, in n-iurn, were sil- 

 ver, iron, cloth, linen irmd<r at Quito, cotton, sugar, 

 rice, cacai'. eats, pickles, tobacco, oil, earthen 



and -.ill sorts of European commodities. The 

 amounted in value to 700,000 dollars. 

 The -s were estimni >,(X)0, leav- 



ing iu favour of Chili s balance of 200,000 dollars. To 



Reptilri. 



Insect*. 



Manufw. 

 tuiei. 



fommcrtl. 

 ExtcraiL 



