FArnsrA and flora of the falklands. 357 



vious instances tlie whole gut was quite empty. I also failed to 

 find any trace of the green slime in the stomach, but I noticed 

 the whole of that organ to be filled with a nematode worm, which 

 has been kindly identified for me by a gentleman at the British 

 Museum as Ascaris Patagonica. 



The skin was very thick, and the fur of a uniform mouse- 

 colour, being perhaps a trifle lighter in tint on the under surface 

 of the body. The fur itself was short and stubby. 



What the pelt weighed I cannot tell, but it required the 

 united efforts of two men and myself to lift it into a cart. 



The flesh was coarse in texture, and looked very much like 

 inferior beef. 



About three miles due east of Stanley a small rivulet known 

 to the inhabitants as Rookery stream empties itself into the sea. 

 Till within recent times, this locality was one of the favourite 

 resorts of the Jackass Penguin [Spheniscus Magellanicus) ; and 

 although the "rookery" has sadly decreased in numbers during 

 the past ten years, still a fair number of burrows are occupied 

 by these birds during the breeding season. On the north side of 

 the spot where this stream joins the shore, are several circular 

 depressions, averaging about ten feet in diameter and from three 

 to four feet in depth. I often wondered how these singular 

 depressions have been formed. Since my return I believe I have 

 found a satisfactory solution. Quite recently, while reading 

 " Groodridge's Narrative" (^^ I came across the following 

 sentence: — "There was another kind of danger to which we 

 were exposed, namely bog-holes ; these were sometimes ten feet 

 over and eight or ten feet deep, filled with soft slimy mud ; and 

 we conjectured they were formed by Sea-Elephants near marshy 

 places, as we frequently found these animals in them," I have 

 no doubt that these depressions were used long before these 

 islands were inhabited as wallowing-holes by sea-elephants, and 

 owing to lapse of time have now become lined with the finest 

 grass. Located as they are close to fresh water and surrounded 

 by marshy ground, this place seems in every way most suitable 

 as a resort for these mammals. May we conclude that the words 

 ' Eookery Stream ' were intended as a resort for sea-elephants as 

 well as Penguins ? 



