CHAPTER VI. 



AMONG THE FOSSILS. 



A Long Bullock Ride — Santa Fe — An Animal Collector — Large 

 Fossils — Indian Superstitions — Darwin 111 — A Native Doctor — 

 Geology — Gigantic Armoured Animals — Drought — The Parana — 

 The Jaguar — Darwin a Prisoner — Swimming Horses — Shower of 

 Butterflies — Phosphorescence. 



NE of the most interest- 

 ing expeditions made by 

 Darwin was from Buenos 

 Ayres to Santa F^, a dis- 

 tance of about three hun- 

 dred miles. The conven- 

 iences for travelling were 

 limited, the trip being 

 made in bullock waggons 

 — a tedious operation at 

 best, but which had at 

 least one commendable 

 feature : it afforded the naturalist ample opportunities 

 to collect en route without the danger of being left 

 behind should he stray from the road. This country 

 was the home of the biscacha ( Lagostonius tricho- 

 dactylus), a little rodent somewhat resembling a rab- 



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