76 NATURAL HISTORY OF 



however, are more than twice as numerous in young as in 

 old individuals. The species appears to inhabit rocky ground 

 in rather shallow water, and its movements are very sluggish * 

 The last joints of the limbs (especially the anterior ones) are 

 provided with numerous fasciculi of short yellowish-brown 

 hairs, and the inner surface of the pincers is partially invested 

 with a blackish horny substance. 



Many gulls were feeding on the beach, and here and there 

 a dull brown-coloured hawk was to be seen diligently investi- 

 gating some of the debris left by the waves. It was a bold 

 bird, not taking alarm till approached very closely, when, 

 uttering a querulous scream, it would fly off and perch again 

 at a short distance. This was the Chimango (Milvago Chim- 

 ango), very common in the eastern part of the Strait, and 

 throughout Chili. I may here remark that I never observed 

 it feed on living prey, and almost invariably noticed it on the 

 beach or its immediate vicinity. 



A few birds were shot on this occasion by the other mem- 

 bers of the party, including a specimen of a thrush (Turdiis 

 Falklandicus), on the throat of which I found the examples of 

 a large tick (probably a species of Dermanyssus), attached, and 

 two long-tailed green parroquets {Conurus cyanolysms). The 

 occurrence of a member of the parrot family so far south 

 strikes the traveller at first sight as very remarkable, and it 

 is not surprising that it should have attracted the attention of 

 several of the earlier navigators who braved the dangers of 

 the Strait. Thus, in the voyage of Oliver van Noort in 1599, 

 and in that of Spilbergen undertaken fifteen years later, 



* As a curious fact in the history of our northern Lithodes arctica, I may- 

 mention that some years ago, in removing the carapace of a female, I found 

 five live specimens of a bivalve mollusc, a species of Saxicava, lying in the 

 branchial chamber under the gills. 



