THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN. 153 



a Calceolaria, closely resembling the G. nana, but with more 

 and larger leaves and more finely coloured flowers ; and on 

 our ride back to the colony I gathered specimens of a species- 

 of currant (Biles Magellanicum), with ripe fruit of a dull 

 reddish colour and insipid taste. On our return on board, 

 Dr. Campbell gave me specimens of two birds which he had 

 shot. One of these was a fine hawk {Accipiter Chilensis), and 

 the other, a curious little bird of the creeper family, the Oxyurus 

 sjpinicauda with which we afterwards became very familiar, 

 as it occurred plentifully throughout the wooded country of 

 the Strait of Magellan and Channels on the west coast of 

 Patagonia, in the Chonos Archipelago, and at Chiloe, as well 

 as in many parts of ChiH proper. The shafts of the centre 

 tail-feathers are prolonged, woodpecker-like, though it does 

 not appear to climb the trees in the manner of these birds, 

 being generally to be seen hopping about fallen trunks or low 

 shrubs, in search of insects. It is a bold little bird, and 

 often, in the course of our rambles, we were accompanied by 

 about half-a-dozen at a time, uttering their peculiar sharp note 

 at intervals. 



Next morning (12th) we left Sandy Point, and proceeded 

 northwards along the Patagonian coast, on the look-out for 

 the party we had left about a week previously at Elizabeth 

 Island, as we were anxious to ascertain their welfare before 

 leaving for the Falkland Islands. Finding them encamped 

 on one of the small islands in Peckett Harbour to the north 

 of Elizabeth Island, we remained at that port for the rest of 

 the day, which allowed some of us to land for a ramble. I 

 found a fleshy-leaved Chenopodiaceous plant, new to me, but 

 little else of interest ; and a considerable number of geese and 

 ducks were shot by the officers. The former were the Chloe- 

 ^ haga Magellanica, which I have already noticed as common 



