380 NATUEAL HISTORY OF 



was evinced by the inordinate amount of confiterias, or 

 confectioners' shops, as well as the numerous stalls devoted 

 to the same purpose at the corners of the streets. Many of 

 the manners and customs of the Chilian part of the popula- 

 tion, which afterwards became so familiar to us as not in 

 any measure to attract our attention, struck us on this 

 occasion as peculiar ; and among these I may instance the 

 predilection which appeared to prevail among the male 

 portion of the community for enveloping their necks in huge 

 comforters, a habit which somewhat oddly contrasted with 

 that possessed by the ladies of walking bonnetless about the 

 streets. The "vigilantes," or policemen, formed also a conspicu- 

 ous feature, as they marched along in their uniforms with swords 

 by their sides. At night the streets resound with the noise of 

 the bone whistles which they carry, and blow as signals to 

 one another. As far as I could learn, they do not appear to 

 be regarded as by any means a very efficient body. 



On the following day (12th) we drove in one of the 

 omnibuses on the ferro-carril to a public garden near one 

 end of the town. It being winter, and the climate extra- 

 tropical, most of the trees were comparatively destitute of 

 leaves, and many of the plants were out of flower. Some 

 handsome Acacias were, however, in full bloom, and about 

 these a number of humming-birds were flying. This garden 

 appeared to us but a poor affair at the time of our first 

 visit, but farther on in the season it often became the 

 terminus of our afternoon walks ; and two or three months 

 later many fine plants were in flower, including various 

 handsome Malvacece, Magnoliacece, Apocynacece, and numerous 

 representatives of other orders, among which I may mention 

 the Floripondio, Datura {Brugmarisia) arborea, a tall shrub, 

 much cultivated in Chili on account of its large, drooping, 



