80 
POPULAR HISTOEY OF BIRDS. 
(P. Tuheculd), another species which he met with in gloomy 
and retired spots^ among the damp forests of the island of 
Chiloe. He says that this little red-breasted bird is held in 
superstitious fear by the natives on account of its strange 
and varied cries. Of these there are three distinct kinds : 
one called chiduco is an omen of good^ while another 
named ^^huitreu^^ is regarded as very unfavourable; he says 
that the natives are in some things absolutely governed by 
them"^. 
On the island of Chiloe is found a bird closely allied to 
the above, named by the English " the barking bird/"* from 
its notes having a striking resemblance to the yelping of 
a small dog ; the natives call it Guid-guid.^^ It is the 
Sylactes Tarnii of Captain King. 
Among the song-birds smallness of size is all but uni- 
versal. In that land of contrarieties however, called Aus- 
tralia, there is an exception to this rule, in the case of one 
of its best-known birds, and one which Mr. Gould has well 
selected as an emblem for his truly magnificent work ' The 
Birds of Austraha.'^ At one time, and even occasionally 
now, this bird, which is at least as large as the common 
pheasant, was placed among the GaUinaceous birds, and 
* Journal, p. 352. 
