THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN. 37l 



colours were white and various shades of pink, purple, and 

 green, one or two being of a splendid emerald hue. A few 

 Crustacea were met with in the pools, and among these I may 

 mention an olive-green shrimp-like species {Betceus scabro- 

 digitus), which was difficult to capture from the extreme 

 agility of its movements, and a small crab (Acanthocyclus 

 Gayi), which stoutly resisted attacks made on it, giving most 

 savage nips with the great pincer claw of its right or left arm, 

 which always greatly exceeded in size that of the correspond- 

 ing side. At high-water mark we further observed several 

 specimens of the horny egg-case of the Callorhynchus, and many 

 large dead shells of ConcJiolepas, Fissurellm, etc., as well as one 

 or two dead specimens of Oliva Peruviana, and two examples 

 of a Corystoid crab {Bellia pictd), which appears to be a rare 

 species, as in the British Museum, in addition to those found 

 by me, there are only a couple from the coast of Peru. With 

 the exception of cormorants, we noticed but few birds of any 

 description, almost the only ones observed being the Curmus 

 aterrimus, so common in the Strait and Channels, and a 

 flock of pigeons similar to those seen at Chiloe. On our 

 return to the town we visited the copper-smelting works, and 

 were conducted through them by the overseer, a north- 

 country Englishman, who was most polite, explaining to us 

 all the details of the process, and also presenting us with 

 specimens of the copper in various stages. It was strange 

 to look in at a hole in the side of one of the furnaces, and see 

 the golden surface of the molten metal as clear as a mirror, 

 and stranger still to watch the liquid stream flowing out into 

 the moulds of sand constructed for its reception. 



The morning of the 7th, Sunday, was very foggy, the sun 

 sometimes breaking through the veil for a few minutes, and 

 then again disappearing. We had hoped to have had the 



