414 NATUKAL HISTORY OF 



mine. The vein, tliough not a rich one (the ore in most 

 places yielding I believe not more than nine or ten per cent 

 of pure metal, while that of the Piqu^ mine yields from 

 thirty to upwards of fifty), is very large, being as much as 

 sixty feet wide in some places where it has been worked. On 

 raising the lamps with which we were provided, we could 

 clearly perceive that the walls of the mine were glistening 

 with the yellow metal. Early in the afternoon we left 

 Panulcillo by train for Coquimbo, and reached the port about 

 five P.M. On getting on board, I found that, as usual, during 

 my absence, a variety of specimens had been collected for me, 

 including some beautiful Crustacea, among which was a 

 very fine specimen of the Hepatus Chiliensis and other marine 

 animals, as well as a sooty albatross {JDiomedea fuliginosa), 

 which was tied by the leg to the rails of the bridge. 



The following afternoon a seining-party was despatched 

 from the vessel, and by this means I reaped some benefit, 

 obtaining specimens of a pipe-fish, Syngnathus acicularis, 

 and of a curious parasitic crustacean, the Cymothoa Gaudi- 

 chaudii.^ On the 27th, Captain Mayne, Dr. Campbell, and I, 

 proceeded by train to Compania, and from thence had a very 

 agreeable ride to visit some old Indian graves, under the 

 escort of Mr. E. F. Ffrench, a gentleman possessed of great 

 scientific talents, and whose kindness in furthering my re- 

 searches and observations, not only during our stay at 

 Coquimbo, but since my return to this country, I desire 

 very gratefully to acknowledge. The greater part of our way 

 lay over a succession of low hills, on which I noticed a 

 variety of plants that were new to me ; among others, a curious 



* A few days later I obtained from some fishermen fine specimens of two 

 remarkable Crustacea, the Platymera Gavdichaudii and Gonodactylus styli- 

 ferns. 



