192 NATURAL HISTORY OF 



across one or two half-fledged examples of the skua gull, 

 which hobbled about like decrepit old hens. Two specimens 

 of a small rodent were also caught by the men, as well as 

 several examples of a beetle (Sericoides Beichei), presenting 

 a considerable resemblance to a cockchafer. As we were 

 approaching the boats we heard a gun fired, and shortly after 

 saw the ship standing out from her anchorage, so we em- 

 barked as speedily as possible, and got on board about six 

 P.M. On our return I found that one of the officers who had 

 been on shore at Cape St. Vincent had shot two specimens 

 of the burrowing owl {Pholeoptynx cunicularia), which we had 

 previously seen at Maldonado. Mr. Darwin remarks that he 

 never saw it to the south of the Eio Negro, but we ascer- 

 tained it to be common in the open country of both eastern 

 Euegia and Patagonia. It appears to be distributed over 

 nearly the entire extent of both Americas, in North America 

 associating with the " prairie dogs " {Ardomys ludovicianus). 

 In the Strait of Magellan it evidently adopts a mixed diet, 

 as we frequently saw it feeding on marine animals on the 

 sea-beach. The merry-thought {furcula), as in some of the 

 other Strigidce, is not completely ossified. 



We remained at anchor in Lee Bay during the night of the 

 6th, but next morning it came on to blow, which rendered our 

 position unsafe, and accordingly we weighed, and moving over 

 to Koyal Eoad, between Elizabeth Island and the mainland, 

 anchored there for the remainder of the day. The 8th was a 

 remarkably fine day, so that we left Eoyal Eoad in the morn- 

 ing ; we passed through the second Narrows, and anchored in 

 Gregory Bay. In the afternoon a party of us, as usual, went 

 on shore for a ramble, and I had a delightful walk over the 

 high ground above the beach in the direction of the Narrows. 

 The country was of a tumbled character, abounding in little 



