86 NATURAL HISTORY OF 



several of the older voyagers, — Spilbergen speaking of "store 

 of shrubs v^^ith sweet blackberries ;" and Wood remarking 

 of the country in the eastern part of the Strait between 

 Elizabeth's Island and the Second Narrows, that " it produces 

 also small Berries, which are excellent good Fruit, and to 

 which we gave the Name of Magellan Grapes. They are of a 

 purple Colour, seeded, and taste like our Eurojpean Grapes : 

 they grow singly on small Bushes, like Berries." And again, 

 in his description of Port Famine, observing that, betwixt 

 the wood and the water-side, "there grew Abundance of 

 Magellan Grapes, Hearts, and other small Berries, which are 

 all good Fruit, and grow all the Streights over." The species 

 occurs throughout the Strait and along the west coast of 

 South America. I met with it in abundance as far north as 

 Chiloe, the B. ilicifolia being, so far as my observations go, 

 confined to the wooded portion of the Strait and western 

 channels, and not extending north of the GuK of Penas. 

 The wood of both species is of a bright yellow colour, and 

 the branches of B. dulcis burn with a vivid flame. I may 

 conclude what I have to say on the barberries of the Strait 

 by remarking, that the only other species of the genus which 

 occurs in this region is the little B. empetrifolia, which grows 

 on sandy ground between the woods and the sea-beach, 

 never occurring under the shade of trees. Like the other two 

 species, it blooms early in the season. The flowers are of a 

 pale yellow colour, and deliciously fragTant ; and the fruits, 

 though small, are sweet and pleasant to the taste. 



Many parroquets were shot by the sportsmen on this 

 occasion, as well as a specimen of a pretty little hawk 

 (Tinnunculus sparverius) with bluish ash-coloured and 

 rufous plumage, which we afterwards found to be common in 

 the Strait. It is abundant in Chili, where I was told it 



