THE STEAIT OF MAGELLAN. 183 



leptonyx), as the remains of the skin were spotted in the 

 manner characteristic of tliis species, was lying ; but unfortu- 

 nately none of the bones were in a state fit to carry away. 

 Many ducks and geese were seen, but were for the most 

 part very difficult of approach, contrasting in this respect 

 strikingly with the cormorants, which, as if aware of their 

 worthlessness, flew about close to the boat, gazing at us 

 with an expression of stupid wonder. In the course of the 

 day two curious little birds new to us were shot — the 

 Thinocorus rumicivoriis and Attagis Falklandica — the true 

 position of which, in a strictly natural classification of birds, 

 appears to be somewhat doubtful. Of the former bird Mr. 

 Darwin has remarked, that " it nearly equally partakes of the 

 characters, different as they are, of the quail and of the snipe ;" 

 and that it " is found in the whole of southern South America, 

 wherever there are sterile plains, or upon open, dry pasture 

 land," adding, that he saw it as far south as the inland 

 plains of Patagonia, at Santa Cruz, in lat. 50°. In the Strait 

 of Magellan it appears to be not uncommon, as we 

 frequently saw small flocks on subsequent occasions. Its 

 habits, in so far as I had an opportunity of observing them, 

 greatly resembled those of a small plover ; and I have several 

 times mistaken it for one of these birds. The latter bird, At- 

 tagis, which considerably exceeds the former in size, was seen 

 by Mr. Darwin, " on the mountains in the extreme southern 

 parts of Tierra del Fuego," where " it frequents, either in pairs 

 or coveys, the zone of alpine plants above the region of forest," 

 but was never observed by us except on the open low-lying 

 country of the eastern portion of the Strait. The plumage is 

 prettily mottled, somewhat like that of a quail. An allied 

 species of the genus {A. Gayi) occurs on the mountains of Chili. 

 On the 23d I was occupied on board all day ; and on the three 



