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CHAPTER IV. 



ÎVorms, Insects^ Reptiles^ Fishes^ Birds and 

 Quadrupeds* 



CHILI is not quite so abundant in animals as the 

 other countries of America. The reptiles, for in- 

 stance, are but few, and the indigenous quadrupeds 

 do not exceed thirty-six species. The classes of 

 worms, of fishes and of birds are those that contain 

 the greatest number of species and of individuals. 

 From my observations, however, I am led to believe 

 that insects arc less abundant than in Italy, and that 

 Chili produces a greater number of worms, particu- 

 larly the marine kind; the whole coast of the Pacific 

 Ocean being filled with zoophytes and molluscas, 

 many of which are wholly unknown to naturalists. 



Sect. I. Molluscas, — The pyura (pyura, gen. 

 nov.) is a moliusca, remarkable for its shape and its 

 mode of dwelling. This animal, which scarcely 

 merits the name, is about an inch in diameter, and of 

 the shape of a pear, or it may more properly be com- 

 pared to a small fieshy purse, of nearly a conical 

 form, filled with salt water ; it is of a red colour, and 

 is furnished on the upper part with two very short 

 trunks, one of which serves for a mouth the other 

 as an anus. Between these are two shining black 



