Dec. 1826. 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



until again warned of the approach of danger by thaeir ^^igilant 

 ' look-out.' 



Another peculiarity of the guanaco is, the habit of resorting 

 to particular spots for natural purposes. This is mentioned in 

 the ' Dictionnaire d*Histoire Naturelle,'' in the ' Encyclopedic 

 Methodique,' as well as other works. 



In one place we found the bones of thirty-one guanacoes 

 collected within a space of thirty yards, perhaps the result of 

 an encampment of Indians, as evident traces of them were 

 observed ; among which were a human jaw-bone, and a piece 

 of agate ingeniously chipped into the shape of a spear-head. 



The fox, which we did not take, appeared to be small, and 

 similar to a new species afterwards found by us in the Strait of 

 Magalhaens. 



The cavia* (or, as it is called by Narborough, Byron, and 

 Wood, the hare, an animal from which it differs both in appear- 

 ance and habits, as well as flavour), makes a good dish ; and so 

 does the armadillo, which our people called the shell-pig."]- 

 This little animal is found abundantly about the low land, and 

 lives in burrows underground ; several were taken by the 

 seamen, and, when cooked in their shells, were savoury and 

 wholesome. 



Teal were abundant upon the marshy grounds. A few par- 

 tridges, doves, and snipes, a rail, and some hawks were shot. 

 The few sea-birds that were observed consisted of two species 

 of gulls, a grebe and a penguin {Aptenodytes Magellanica). 



We found two species of snakes and several kinds of lizards. 

 Fish were scarce, as were also insects ; of the last, our collec- 



* Dasyprocta patacJionica : it is the Fatagonian cavy of Dr. Shaw, and 

 Pennant's Quadr., tab. 39, and the luvt^e pumpa of D'Azara. M. Desma- 

 rest thinks that if the teeth were examined it would form a new genus, for 

 which he proposes the name of Dolichotis (Ency. Meth. Mamm. p. 359). 

 At present he has, from its external character, placed it amongst the genus 

 Dasyprocta (agouti). The oxAj one that was taken was not preserved, 

 which prevented me from ascertaining the fact. 



t Basypus minutus, Desm. Tatou pichiy, or tatou septieme of D'Azara, 

 &c. &c. It has seven bands. 



