Oct. 1835. NUMBER OF REPTILES. 473 



for the number of species of reptiles, as for that of indi- 

 viduals ; when we remember the well-beaten paths made by 

 the many hundred great tortoises — the warrens of the ter- 

 restrial Amblyrhyncus — and the groups of the aquatic species 

 basking on the coast-rocks — we must admit that there is no 

 other quarter of the world, where this order replaces the her- 

 bivorous mammalia in so extraordinary a manner. It is 

 worthy of observation by the geologist (who will probably 

 refer back in his mind to the secondary periods, when the 

 Saurians were developed with dimensions, which at the 

 present day can be compared only to the cetaceous mam- 

 malia), that this archipelago, instead of possessing a humid 

 climate and rank vegetation, cannot be considered otherwise 

 than extremely arid, and for an equatorial region, remarkably 

 temperate. 



To finish with the zoology : I took great pains in collecting 

 the insects, but I was surprised to find> even in the high and 

 damp region, how exceedingly few they were in number. 

 The forests of Tierra del Fuego are certainly much more 

 barren ; but with that exception I never collected in so poor 

 a country. In the lower and sterile land I took seven species 

 of Heteromera, and a few other insects ; but in the fine 

 thriving woods towards the centre of the islands, although 

 I perseveringly swept under the bushes during all kinds of 

 weather, I obtained only a few minute Diptera and Hymen- 

 optera. Owing to this scarcity of insects, nearly all the 

 birds live in the lower country ; and the part which any one 

 would have thought much the most favourable for them, is 

 frequented only by a few of the small tyrant-flycatchers. I 

 do not beUeve a single bird, excepting the water-rail, is con- 

 fined to the damp region. Mr. Waterhouse informs me that 

 nearly all the insects belong to European forms, and that 

 they do not by any means possess an equatorial character. 

 I did not take a single one of large size, or of bright colours. 

 This last observation applies equally to the birds and 

 flowers. It is worthy of remark, that the only land-bird 

 with bright colours, is that species of tyrant-flycatcher, which 



