THE STRAIT OF MAGELLAN. 405 



which ran about, turning up their tails with intent to sting ; 

 and a handsome lizard {Proctotretus Gravenhorstii) of a 

 bluish-green hue was very commoU; basking on the rocks, 

 on which the sun was beating, sometimes associated with a 

 smaller species, spotted with black (Leiolcemus nigroma- 

 culatus). On the rocks at the end of the peninsula, where 

 the surf was almost always breaking with violence, great 

 Chitons of two species, the G. magnificus and aculeatus, were 

 to be seen in numbers, adhering firmly to the clefts and 

 ledges, the latter frequently with an extensive growth of 

 sea-weed on them ; their collection being attended with a 

 considerable amount of difficulty and danger. In less 

 exposed situations, a species of sea-urchin, the Ecliinocidaris 

 nigra, with a depressed shell three to four inches in diameter, 

 and long purplish-black spines, was very abundant, adhering 

 to the rock with much tenacity by means of its suckers. 



On the 11th, in the course of a long walk of about 

 eighteen miles inland through a gorge in a range of hills, I 

 found a beautiful Nolanaceous plant of the genus Alona in 

 profusion, forming a low shrub, with viscid leaves and 

 branches, and exquisite blue convolvulus-like flowers, as 

 weU as a species of Garica (G. pyriformis), with very glossy 

 green leaves. This plant abounds in a greasy milky juice, 

 and its stem is so brittle as to admit of being broken across 

 as easily as that of a cactus. Numerous flocks of a small 

 dove were observed on this occasion, as well as one or two 

 condors, and a specimen of the snake previously taken at 

 Talcahuano was secured. 



On the evening of the 13 th, at about half-past six, while 

 we were all seated at dinner in the wardroom, the vessel 

 shook suddenly, as though she had received a blow. The 

 same thing was repeated in the course of a few minutes, and 



