PREFACE XXVll 



almost as the Wolf of the northern hemisphere, destructive to 

 Sheep, and a very bold robber in camps. Another Carnivore 

 is the Otter {Lutra jolatensis). The Sea Lion or Eared Seal 

 {^Otaria juhata) is abundant on the coast, and the carcases 

 are often seen on the beach. A Bat {Vesperugo magellanicus) 

 is sometimes, though very rarely, met with. Quite one of the 

 features of the land is the Mole-like Ctenomys magellanicus^ 

 which honeycombs the ground in the open country to 

 such an extent as to make it a burden to ride or walk. It 

 is remarkable that where Sheep have been herded in any 

 numbers, this animal has been trampled out of existence. 

 Another Rodent (Bhithrodon) is still plentiful on the flats. 

 In the seaweed on the sea-shore I obtained a small buff-coloured 

 Mouse {Ahodon). Whales are plentiful in these waters, from 

 those of the largest size known to some of the smallest. On the 

 beach in Useless Bay I saw the remains of one — the Blue 

 Whale {Balcenoptera sihhaldii)^ Sir William Turner suggests — 

 which, when entire, measured eighty-seven feet in length. I saw 

 another of similar size in San Sebastian Bay. By white settlers 

 the vertebrae are frequently utilized as stools. In Whiteside 

 Channel, I saw Whales blowing in all directions. In more than 

 usually stormy weather, I have seen them in Useless Bay. 

 Amongst the smaller species is a Black Dolphin (Glohicephalus), 

 numbers of which may sometimes be seen dead along shore, in 

 places three or four together. Large creatures as they are — 

 some ten or twelve feet long — their wholesale destruction, due to 

 no apparent cause, presents an extraordinary spectacle. 



Birds are the most important fauna of all, although the 

 majority are only summer visitors — even in the case of Geese and 

 Ducks. Orders represented are : — Accipitres, Striges, Psittaci, 

 Pici, Passeres, Herodiones, Anseres, Ralli, Limicolse, Tubinares, 

 Steganopodes, Pygopodes, Sphenisci. The most numerous in 

 species are Passeres, Limicolas, and Anseres. Psittaci and Pici 

 are represented only by a single member. Prominent main- 

 land orders in Tinami and Struthiones do not occur. 



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