276 NATURAL HISTORY OF 



the gluey character of the fat of the bird ; but a variety of 

 structural points observed during the process interested me 

 greatly, among which I may instance the remarkable breadth 

 of the scapulae, the deep colour of the muscles, recalling that 

 of the flesh of a seal, and the curious tongue, the upper sur- 

 face of which is armed with horny spines, resembling those 

 which occur on the tongue and palate of certain mammals. 

 The cormorant was very successfully skinned for me by one 

 of my messmates (Mr. OUard), and is a fine specimen of the 

 beautiful species to which it belongs. The carunculated cere of 

 this bird is yellow, and the wings and entire upper plumage, 

 including a narrow crest of elongated feathers on the head, 

 exhibit splendid tints of deep bluish purple verging on black, 

 while the front of the neck, the breast, and the abdomen are 

 snow-white. 



On the 5th we remained at anchor, as it was blowing 

 hard, but the weather was fine on the two following days, 

 which were occupied in taking soundings from the ship. 

 Heavy rain, followed by snow, set in on the evening of the 

 7th, and next day it was again blowing hard, which, however, 

 we did not much regret, as it happened to be Sunday, which 

 was as much as possible preserved as a day of rest. On the 

 9th, 10th, and 11th the weather was again favourable, and taken 

 advantage of to obtain lines of soundings in Philip Bay, on the 

 coast of which we observed a Fuegian encampment of consider- 

 able size. The morning of the 12th was splendidly bright and 

 clear, and a small party of us landed on the coast of Gregory 

 Bay at five a.m., and spent some hours in a pleasant ramble 

 inland. The ground in many places was completely tunnelled 

 with the burrows of "the CtenomySy and as I walked over it, I 

 heard at intervals the curious cry of the animal, while several 

 individuals protruded their furry heads and shoulders from 



