lO V ALLEN TIN, Notes on the Falkland Islands. 



numbers of a pretty tree fern {Gleichenia cryptocarpa). 

 This fern is very local, and appears to be restricted to 

 one or two places on the West Falklands. I also noticed 

 on this occasion some of the largest specimens of that 

 singular plant, the Bog balsam {Bolax glebarid). Although 

 very common throughout the whole archipelago, it is very 

 seldom one finds a plant of this species of any considerable 

 size, such as were to be found in the early days of the 

 colony. It is well known to the residents on these islands 

 that on bruising or cutting the hard exterior of this plant, 

 so as to allow the rain to lodge in the crevices, a rapid 

 decay soon follows, and within about a twelve-month 

 nothing but a heap of mould and fibres is left of a plant 

 which took years to attain its previous size. 



Owing to the abundance of sheep throughout these 

 islands, and the large areas covered by such unprofitable 

 plants as the * Bog balsam ' {Bolax glebaria), ' Fachina ' 

 bushes {Chilabothrium amelloides), and ' Diddle dee' bushes 

 {Empetnun rubru7n\ and the ferns Lomaria alpina and 

 L. magellafdca, these animals are at times hard pressed to 

 find sufficient grass to eat, and in their close search for 

 food run over and bruise the smooth surface of the Bog 

 balsam plants, and so they are easily destroyed. 



There are but iew wild cattle left now on these islands. 

 Those used for domestic purposes are almost as tame as 

 the cattle in England, and are kept close to the settle- 

 ments. The old breed of wild cattle, perhaps the lineal 

 descendants of those imported by Bougainville in 1767, 

 are almost extinct, a few of them are yet to be found in 

 the neighbourhoood of San Carlos on the East Falklands. 

 On some of the outlying islands where there is little else 

 but Tussac grass a few cattle are allowed to roam, and 

 when beef is wanted a visit is paid them, and two or three 

 are shot. During my visit to Roy Cove, I tasted some 



