166 



covered not ohIv some of a new species, but of a 

 new genus; but as the limits of my work will 

 not permit me to go into a full description of 

 them^ 1 shall connne ra\self to those kinds that 

 are the most esteemed and made use of by the 

 inhabitants. 



Oysters are found in many places on the coast; 

 there are several varieties^ but the largest and 

 best are taken near Coqiiimbo. Escallops are 

 found in the same places with the oyster, not 

 only those with convex, but those with flat 

 shells. 



The principal species of the muscle are the 

 common, the pearly muscle (mytilus margariti- 

 fer) the large and small Magellanic muscle, the 

 chorus, and the black muscle. The large Ma- 

 gellanic muscle is six inches long and three 

 broad, the shell is covered on the outside with a 

 brownish skin, beneath which it is of a beautiful 

 sky blue, crossed transversely with purple stripes, 

 and wilhin is of a rich mother of pearl colour 

 striped with red. The little Magellanic muscle 

 is nearly of the same colour, but of rather a 

 more oval form. Both these kinds commonly 

 contain some small peads, of little lustre ; 

 those, on the contrary, that are found in the 

 pearly muscle, are of a fine water, but almost 

 always very small. 



The chorus (myfilus chorus) is seven inches 

 long by three and a half broad. The skin is of 



