Birds at Las Caida, — Island of St. Ambrose. 85 



spirit of the regulations of the Prevention of Cruelty to Anirr.ah 

 Society. 



In the evening we assembled at a clump of trees, which seemcJ 

 to be a favourite roosting-place for doves ; and as the birds 

 came down from the hills to take up their quarters for the night, 

 they afforded us some very nice shooting while the daylight 

 lasted. The most interesting birds which I noticed in the valley 

 were two species oi pteroptochus, the smaller of which was almost 

 identical in general character with the tapacola of Coquimbo, 

 where it inhabits the low rocky hills, and attracts attention by 

 its barking noise, and by the odd manner in which it erects its 

 tail. Although the barking noise is heard frequently, and some- 

 times within a few yards of one, j-et the bird itself is seen 

 comparatively rarely. The bird of Las Cardas, however, might 

 with a little care be seen, whilst uttering its odd programme of 

 noises, as it stood under the overhanging branches of some large 

 bush. On being startled it makes off in a peculiar manner, 

 taking long strides rather than hops, and moving in a scries of 

 sharp curves in and out among the bushes. In adapting itself 

 to these curves, the body of the bird is inclined considerably to 

 the inner side, so that in this position, with its long legs and 

 great clumsy tail, it forms a truly grotesque object. Examples 

 of the larger species of pteroptochus (/*. alhicoUis) were generally 

 to be seen in pairs, perched on the summit of a tall bush, the 

 white throat and white stripes over the eye showing conspicuously. 



We sailed from Coquimbo on the i6th of July, and shaped our 

 course for the Islands Felix and Ambrose, which lie about five 

 hundred miles to the north-west of Coquimbo. The object of this 

 cruise was to take some deep-sea soundings between the mainland 

 and the above-mentioned islands. The weather was, for the most 

 part, very unfavourable, the ship rolling and kicking diabolically, 

 and making our lives very miserable. On the afternoon of the 

 20th, St. Ambrose, the eastward island of the two, hove in sight, 

 bat as the day was too far advanced to admit of our landing, wc 



