TWO DAYS^ FISHING IX CHILE. 217 



black and white back^ with brown-barred wings. I 

 shot a couple, but the hollow bullets knocked them all 

 to pieces. Subsequently, however, I shot three more 

 with my shot-gun, and have the skins now, but in such 

 a dilapidated condition that I am afraid even Mr. Yv^ard 

 could not make anything out of them. These gulls were 

 so tam,e that I had abundant opportunity of observing 

 their method of catching fish. With the two kinds of 

 hunting gulls above and below proceeding on two 

 entirely different plans, it was almost compulsory, even 

 to the most unimaginative mind, to reflect on the mysteries 

 of nature ; why — but stop, Vm not Darwin. Well, these 

 birds fly along just above the surface of the water, 

 usually four or five abreast; suddenly they almost 

 imperceptibly halt, and the lower mandible of their 

 long lance-bke bill is depressed, and the fry on which 

 they feed is, as it were, shovelled into their mouth. I 

 watched them so long and so closely that there is no 

 possibility of a mistake, though it may be a well-known 

 fact after all. How many times have I wished I was 

 something of a naturalist and a sketcher. It is the 

 greatest mistake for a man like myself, who is constantly 

 rambling about, not to be able to draw a beautiful view, 

 or describe a new bird or animal with accuracy. 



We waited till the moon rose bright and clear over a 

 snow-capped peak of the Sierras, when we all made a 

 move for the whale boat. The arrangements for catching 

 the congreos were very simple, though I don't know what 

 Mr. Wilcocks would have said to it. A long cord, about 

 two hundred yards in length, was fitted with drop lines 

 at intervals of three feet or so ; each drop line had a 

 hook at the end, and was baited with a clam or pico. 

 One end had a large stone slung to it, and the other a 



