166 NATURAL HISTOKY OF 



the " Zealous-" through the Strait, the two ships set out in 

 company at daylight next morning. On passing Elizabeth 

 Island we communicated with one of the two officers who 

 had been left with the surveying party, and learned that they 

 were all well, and had seen much of the Patagonians, who had 

 been very civil to them. We reached Sandy Point between 

 five and six P.M., and there remained during the following day. 

 In the forenoon, Captain Mayne, on his return from taking 

 sights on shore, brought me specimens of gold, associated 

 with quartz, and samples of copper ore, which the gover- 

 nor had given him to examine, stating that they had been 

 procured in the neighbourhood of the settlement. I spent 

 the afternoon on shore, and found several Fungi that were 

 new to me. One of these was a large Polyporus, of an 

 exquisite mottled crimson colour, growing on the Antarctic 

 beech ; and another was the Cyttaria Hookeri, discovered by 

 Dr. Hooker at Cape Horn, and which also occurred on 

 the deciduous beech. A few birds were shot, one of which 

 was a kind of flycatcher (Tcenioptera Pyrope), with soft 

 grayish plumage, often noticed by us during our later 

 experiences in the Strait. Mr. Darwin has observed con- 

 cerning it, that it is not uncommon near Port Famine, and 

 along the whole western coast, even as far as the desert 

 valley of Copiapo. I never, however, saw it in the channels 

 or the west coast of Patagonia, although I believe I observed 

 it at Chiloe. As Mr. Darwin accurately remarks, " it 

 generally takes its station on the branch of a tree on the 

 outskirts of the forest. When thus perched, usually at some 

 height above the ground, it sharply looks out for insects 

 passing by, which it takes on the wing." 



We weighed on the forenoon of the 9th, and proceeded 

 southwards, noticing with interest the change in the aspect 



