366 NATURAL HISTORY OF 



general appearance, resembles a large fincli or bunting, but is 

 at once distinguisbable by the remarkable peculiarity of the 

 edges of its mandibles, which are regularly serrated, in his 

 Saggio sulla Storia NaturaU del Chili ; * remarking that it 

 feeds on green herbs, and that, for mere pastime only, it is 

 very destructive to various vegetables which it does not feed 

 on, so that a continual war is carried on against it by the 

 peasantry of the districts in which it occurs, in consequence 

 of which it frequents solitary wooded places, where it builds 

 its nest high up in the shrubs. 



This day I also obtained fine flowering specimens of a tall 

 Malvaceous shrub, the Sida vitifolia, with tomentose five-lobed 

 leaves, and large handsome flowers varying from pale purple 

 to white, and sometimes exceeding two inches in diameter. 



On the 31st it was raining and blowing hard during the 

 earlier part of the day, but the wind gradually fell, and the 

 rain ceased after three p.m. On the 1st of June we again 

 left the bay, making very little way during the day, as the 

 wind was against us, and being under sail alone, we were 

 consequently obliged to tack repeatedly. In the evening the 

 wind shifted in our favour, and we accomplished a consider- 

 able distance during the night ; but on the 2d it was again 

 unpropitious, compelling us to tack perpetually. On the 3d 

 the same state of things continued, save that we progressed 

 rather more quietly. The 4th was a thick misty day, the 

 wind still against us, causing us to alter course frequently ; 

 and an anxious look-out for land was maintained, as, from the 

 sun not having been visible for the last few days, no ob- 

 servations had been, obtained, and we had therefore a very 

 vague conception as to our true position. Suddenly, about 

 one P.M., there was a shout from the look-out of " Breakers 



* P. 255. 



