TIDAL CURRENTS Si 
of shags were perching for night on little rock ledge with 
apparently only the meagrest foot-hold. A shot sent them 
all circling high up in air. Rio Douglas at dark. 
Tidal current enters Beagle Channel from the West, and 
runs strongly Eastwards as far as Gable Island 1 where it 
meets, apparently, the incoming tidal current from the East. 
Passage between Gable Island and ‘mainland’ narrow, and 
strong current. From Beagle Channel current runs South 
down Murray Narrows. From the Antarctic, the tidal 
current sets in North between False Cape Horn and Hermite 
Island to Nassau Bay, into which current also enters from 
the East. These currents run Westwards and Northwards 
into Tekenika Bay and Ponsonby Sound where, to the South 
of Button Island, they meet the current coming down the 
Murray Narrows. This current, and one from Nassau Bay, 
are deflected Westwards into Agaia Channel 2 where, between 
Grande Island 2 and ‘mainland’ the current is so strong that 
one cannot row against it. 
June 6, Thursday . In afternoon along banks of river and 
across the old pile bridge, which was falling to pieces. Pair of 
large Kingfishers 3 perching on bridge. The bird builds its 
nests in holes in the river bank. Has a very feeble kind of 
gurgle. In size, it is about equal to a ‘laughing jackass’, but 
more delicately built. Not a trace of blue in its plumage. 
Dush-ush or Push-ush. 4 Yaghan name of small bird about 
1 North of Navarin Island. 
2 Ponsonby Sound, and island in it. 
3 Mr. B. W. Tucker has kindly idenitfied this bird as Streptoceryle torquata, 
following Spencer’s sketch with his notes on the colour of the plumage. 
4 From a similar sketch with notes, Mr. Tucker has identified this bird as 
Phrygilus gayi (Eydoux and Gervais) * 
* From Miss Hamilton’s diary; The Professor was up very early, eagerly awaiting 
the arrival of his pet colony of Dush-ush birds. The blackbirds do not arrive until 
the afternoon. The scattering of the breadcrumbs along the kitchen window ledge, 
water barrels, and under the willow' trees, is quite a sacred ritual. The birds have 
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