THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN. 55 



of a turtle's egg was brought to me by one of the crew of the 

 seining-party, and for some time I was in doubt as to its true 

 nature. It turned out to be the peculiar nidus of a mollusc, 

 the Buccinum deforme of King, who found specimens of it on 

 the sea-beach of Gorriti, a small island in the bay of Maldo- 

 nado. He states that in the month of January the eggs were 

 obtained in all stages of growth. 



We left Maldonado at 11 p.m. that night, not sorry that 

 there were no more halting-places between us and our desti- 

 nation, to which a romantic interest was attached in the 

 minds of many of us, from the accounts we had read of the 

 tempestuous weather and majestic scenery to be encountered 

 therein. 



l^ext day was beautifully bright with a favourable wind, 

 an auspicious beginning to the last stage of our voyage. My 

 time was fully taken up in skinning birds, and placing the 

 plants collected the day before in drying paper. Things in 

 general went on in the same quiet routine, so characteristic 

 of fine weather at sea, and the only fact worth recording was 

 the arrival of a large and handsome sphinx-moth. 



Sunday, the 9th, also passed very quietly, and enabled us 

 to get the full enjoyment of a quiet Sunday at sea. We had 

 a fine view of the Magellanic clouds in the evening, and there 

 was a magnificent display of phosphorescence on the water, 

 the crests of all the small waves in every direction being 

 brilliantly illuminated. 



The 10th was also a bright day during the greater part of 

 it. My time was well filled up with writing journal and 

 sorting specimens. A wonderful amount of time, as I daresay 

 all who have had a like experience with myseK will bear me 

 witness, is occupied in stowing and unstowing books, 

 apparatus, etc., when you have little space and much to cram 



