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CHARLES DARWIN 



against pre-existing enemies, in the fox and some large 

 hawks. The French naturalists have considered the black 

 variety a distinct species, and called it Lepus Magellanicus. 5 

 They imagined that Magellan, when talking of an animal 

 under the name of "conejos" in the Strait of Magellan, 

 referred to this species ; but he was alluding to a small cavy, 

 which to this day is thus called by the Spaniards. The 

 Gauchos laughed at the idea of the black kind being differ- 

 ent from the grey, and they said that at all events it had 

 not extended its range any further than the grey kind; that 

 the two were never found separate; and that they readily 

 bred together, and produced piebald offspring. Of the latter 

 I now possess a specimen, and it is marked about the head 

 differently from the French specific description. This cir- 

 cumstance shows how cautious naturalists should be in 

 making species; for even Cuvier, on looking at the skull 

 of one of these rabbits, thought it was probably distinct ! 



The only quadruped native to the island 8 is a large wolf- 

 like fox (Canis antarcticus), which is common to both East 

 and West Falkland. I have no doubt it is a peculiar species, 

 and confined to this archipelago; because many sealers, 

 Gauchos, and Indians, who have visited these islands, all 

 maintain that no such animal is found in any part of South 

 America. 



Molina, from a similarity in habits, thought that this 

 was the same with his " culpeu ; " 7 but I have seen both, 

 and they are quite distinct. These wolves are well known, 

 from Byron's account of their tameness and curiosity, which 

 the sailors, who ran into the water to avoid them, mistook 

 for fierceness. To this day their manners remain the same. 

 They have been observed to enter a tent, and actually pull 

 some meat from beneath the head of a sleeping seaman. The 



5 Lesson's Zoology of the Voyage of the Coquille, torn. i. p. 168. All the 

 early voyagers, and especially Bougainville, distinctly state that_ the wolf- 

 like fox was the only native animal on the island. The distinction of the 

 rabbit as a species, is taken from peculiarities in the fur, from the shape of 

 the head, and from the shortness of the ears. I may here observe that the 

 difference between the Irish and English hare rests upon nearly similar 

 characters, only more strongly marked. 



6 1 have reason, however, to suspect that there is a field-mouse ; The 

 common European rat and mouse have roamed far from the habitations of 

 the settlers. The common hog has also run wild on one islet; all are of a 

 black colour: the boars are very fierce, and have great tusks. 



7 The " culpeu " is the Canis Magellanicus brought home by Captain King 

 from the Strait of Magellan. It is common in Chile. 



