March 1829- animals — birds — rock. 



195 



The little vessel Mr. Tarn saw was an American sealer, which 

 anchored in the bay next morning. 



Besides the guanacoes, and fox, above-mentioned, we saw no 

 quadrupeds, although two or three sorts of cavia and the puma 

 are common in this neighbourhood. Of birds, nothing interest- 

 ing was seen, except a plover (Totanus fuscus?), oyster-catcher 

 (Hcematopus niger^ rostro ruhro^ pedihus albis), and one of the 

 night bitterns, very much resembling the young of the Euro- 

 pean bird;* but these three species had previously been found 

 at Port Famine. Several lizards were taken, and preserved. 



This extremely sterile and barren country is very unfavour- 

 able for animals of any kind. The soil is like that already 

 described about Port Desire. The rock is of the same charac- 

 ter as at Port St. Elena and Port Desire : red porphyritic 

 clay stone. -|- 



On the 23d of March, a week having passed since we came 

 to Port Desire, my anxiety for the Adelaide's safety was much 

 increased; especially as both wind and weather had been favour- 

 able for her approach to this rendezvous. I therefore despatched 

 Lieut. Wickham overland to Port Desire to order the Beagle 

 to join us, and proceed with us to the other points of rendez- 

 vous. Port San Julian and Cape Fairweather. Lieut. Wick- 

 ham reached Port Desire after a fatiguing walk, and early 

 next morning the Beagle was beating into Sea Bear Bay 

 against a very strong wind which increased, and detained us. I 

 seized this opportunity of completing our consort'*s provisions 

 to five months. Captain Fitz Roy informed me that he had 

 taken advantage of his stay at Port Desire, to ascend the inlet 

 to the head. It extended for thirty miles, and the water was 

 salt to its very extremity ; but, from the height of the old banks 

 on each side, it appeared likely that at times there may be con- 

 siderable freshes. At the head of the river he lighted a fire, 



• See Zoolog-ical Journal, vol. iv. p. 92. 



t Nos. 1 and 2 in the Geolog-ical Society's Museum. A new species 

 of Solen (Solen Scalprum, nob., Zool. .Tourn. V. 335. No. 5.) was found 

 on the beach ; and the caraerated nidus of Buccinum murici/orme, nob,, 

 ZooL Journal, 1. c. No. 62. 



o 2 



