348 NATURAL HISTORY OF 



with it so far south, though, as I have since ascertained, it 

 was observed both in the Gulf of Penas and at Halt Bay in 

 the course of a former survey. With its little wings, long body- 

 feathers, short tail, and great legs and feet, it presents a most 

 grotesque appearance. Mr. Darwin has justly remarked, that 

 the name of ''barking-bird is well bestowed upon it," ob- 

 serving that he defies " any one at first to feel certain that a 

 small dog is not yelping somewhere in the forest. Just as 

 with the cheucau, a person will sometimes hear the bark close 

 by, but in vain may endeavour by watching, and with still 

 less chance by beating the bushes, to see the bird." This we 

 found to be the case alike with the barking-bird and the 

 cheucau (Pteroptochos rubecula) at Chiloe, often hearing their 

 strange cries in the course of our rambles, but very seldom 

 getting a sight of them. A specimen of a little owl (Glauci- 

 dium nanuwi), obtained in the course of the previous season 

 at Sandy Point, was observed in the woods, but not obtained. 

 In cruising about the bay we saw numerous individuals of a 

 little grebe, the Podiceps Rollandi, common in the Strait and 

 Channels, but very difficult to shoot, on account of the rapidity 

 with which it dives, and the impossibility of predicting in 

 what direction it will come up. One was at length shot, and 

 I was struck by the exquisite ruby red colour of the eye. 

 They possess an exceedingly unpleasant fishy odour, which 

 becomes very perceptible in the process of skinning them. I 

 met with hardly any new plants on this occasion, but was 

 interested to find that the Hymenophyllum cruentum extended 

 so far south. I also found many malformed flowers of 

 Mitraria coccinea, probably due to the attack of some insect 

 on the flower-bud. 



The morning of the 22d was fine, but not very clear, the 

 atmosphere having a snowy appearance. In the forenoon, 



