22 CHILI. 



A second species, ^'âJrrf^r^m^/^î/i" aequatorïalïs, \ï2iS> been 

 described some years ago by Mr. Sharpe ; but having actually 

 in my possession one specimen agreeing exactly with the type 

 now in the British Museum, I am of opinion that it is only a 

 young male, aged three or four years, and that it is the usual 

 plumage of that age. It is then brown, or ash colour, all over, 

 meanwhile the fully adult plumage of Sarcoramphus gryphus 

 is black, with secondaries exteriorly edged with white, and a 

 downy white ruff on the upper part and sides of neck. This 

 last is naked and of a good size ; the skin lies in folds in the 

 male. The caruncles on the head of the adult males are 

 well developed, and have somewhat the shape of a crown. A 

 full grown bird measures from twelve to thirteen feet. The 

 olfactory organs are well developed, and it has been said 

 that it has an extraordinary power of scent ; but I am more 

 inclined to attribute the faculty of detecting their proper food, 

 at considerable distances, to their sight, which must be pro- 

 digious. Life is scarcely extinct when flocks of these birds, 

 invisible to naked eyes, pounce upon their prey. 



Another species of birds, peculiar to the Andes, is the 

 Giant Humming-bird, Patagona gigas. It is about the .size 

 of a swallow, dark brown all over, with a white patch on the 

 rump. It is found at great altitudes. 



Four other species of Humming-birds, Eustephanus 

 galeritus, burtoni, fernandensis, and leyboldi, are only found 

 in Chili and the adjacent islands of Juan Fernandez and 

 Mas-a-fuera. No other species of that genus has ever been 

 found anywhere else. They are beautiful birds. 



Among the Insects many remarkable forms exist nowhere 

 else, especially amongst the Carabidae, Lucanidae , and 

 Scarabaeidae. The most interesting among these are those 

 belonging to the common European genus, Carabus, which 

 is represented by a fine series of about twenty species, most 

 of them adorned with bright metallic colours, coppery-gold, 

 coppery-red, or coppery-blue. Among the Lucanidae^ or Stag- 

 beetles, I will mention the peculiar form of Chiasognathus 

 Grantii, only found in Chili. Amongst the Scarabaeidae, or 

 Lamellicorns, the interesting genera, Cotalpa, Oogenius, 

 Modialis, and others, peculiar to Chili. The same can be 

 said of the vegetable and mineral Kingdoms, all of which 

 proves that Chili is a favoured country as regards its natural 

 products, its climate, and its inhabitants, and has in per- 

 spective a magnificent future. 



