305

Chonos Archipel

1835 Jan 8th

Balanidæ (1131:32) PL. 20 Fig 1...13.— 2495 shell of the Concholepas The thick shell of some of the individuals of the Concholepas Peruviana is completely drilled by the cavities formed by this animal.— The cavity is oval, & lined by thin coating of Calcareous matter: small orifice in externally surface of shell: the base almost penetrates to the through the entire thickness.— The animal is orange colored & from 1/12th to 1/10th in length, is flask-shaped (Fig 1). The mouth is elliptic; with hinge at both ends; is edged with stony rim, which has outline as in (F3). (x) is the posterior half or that by which where the chirri cirrhi are protruded (I use posterior & anterior in reference to anus & mouth):— from the indentation (P) a line or rim of stony matter is continued down side of sack apparently for the purpose of strength:— The body lies in sack in something like the position (Fig 2): the great length of body is striking (or interval between anus & mouth), is perhaps owing to the necessity depth at which animal is buried in the Shell.— The body is terminated by only 3 pair of the usual double cirrhi; these are but little curled, small, the centre ones slightly the longest.— on the hinder surface is a longitudinal slit, or anus.— it is very remarkable there is no true ringed trunk.— Following the body just beyond the bend, there is a tapering hook shaped organ (c) (containing inner tunic), & behind before this, other corresponding one (b).

Both of them depend amongst the ovules in bottom of sack.— Above these there lies the viscera:— & the body is terminated anteriorly by the mouth: The mouth is situated within & at the base of a narrow lancet-shaped horny, red closed organ projecting thin plate (Fig 4): ((a) mouth in F2 & 4).— Length, 3/100th. At the tip there are few fine setæ.—

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(a) Surface most finely hirsute.

306

Chonos Archipel

1835

Balanidæ It is slightly curved: behind it there is a little rostrum: Fig 5 is a side view of anterior extremity of body: The mouth is composed of 4 pair of organs; The front (or exterior) pair (Fig 6) acts as a lower lip, is seated on a rounded cone, from which the lancet-shaped organ also arises; may not this latter be considered as the upper lip? Lower lip (F 6) is fringed with setæ on its margins & in front. Next to this is an oblong plate (F7) with setæ (Maxillæ) then we have (Fig 8) a longer curved plate, obliquely (Mandibulæ?) acuminated, the three points forming teeth; these two lie in rather a diverging line from lower lip; they are supported by a stony bar, which is imbedded in the fleshy cone from mouth. The last pair (Fig 9) is tapering upright with two terminal setæ & some on sides, is seated rather external to the others & has appearance of palpi: The 2nd & 3rd pair collapse together on the under lip (or 6); the base of the lancet-shaped organ forms as I have said the upper lip.— All these organs are very minute: We thus have 4 pair (including the lower lip) & the upper lip & 3 pair of posterior cirrhi.— All of which shows uncommon simplicity.— I omitted the Sack chiefly adhæres in its shells cavity surface (my Fig 1); at its base is thickly lined by longitudinal vessels or bands, & others transverse, on side (m).— In the very base there are numerous ovules.— These I saw, within the body in four very different states & their intermediate degrees.— 1st pointed oval, with included granular mass; 2d (Fig 10) at one end, there

307

Chonos Archipel

1834 Jan

Balanidæ are two short club-shaped, transparent organs projections & on other a shorter one; length about of oval part about 1/100th: in 3rd state (Fig 11), the two club-shaped organ[s] are very much longer, & contain a sort of limb within; the other is become a sort of pointed tail, within is inner tunic with sphærical-granular matter.— In the 4th state there is a great alteration, the length is now 1/50th; it is pointed coffin-shaped (Fig 12); near extremity (G) there are is in [illeg] a open space through which two thick clumsy legs can be protruded; these are very big in proportion to whole size, three joints are quite manifest; the upper & last one is close beneath, a little plate, with circumferential curved (a) spine (Fig 13). (in all directions) this joint has extreme play (like the wrist), the little plate hence can adhære & by retracting the legs can move the ovule. The legs are can be moved separately, have considerable powers of motion, are alternately retracted & protruded; singularly resemble the misformed legs of some Crustacæ Entomostracæs; in basal part of ovule blend with the sphærico-granular in which no shape can be traced:—

(a) At lower extremity ovule is slightly bifid, from this two short diverging bundles of bristles are protruded, capable of motion.— I feel little doubt this latter part is a developement of apex in Fig 113, & that the two legs were contained & hatched in the two cases (Fig 11), which have subsequently dropped off, & the legs been retracted within body.— Although I have described the principal states of changes,

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(a) on the margins, chiefly anterior extremity few setæ:— It must be understood the legs do not come out at the very extremity, but on the one side of the flattened elliptic capsule:— Are the two terminal bunches of bristles young cirrhi?

 

308

Chonos Archipel

1834

Balanidæ there were others intermediate: The last is the most developed; but I do not know it thus leaves the body of parent, it must clearly yet undergo a great metamorphis.— Who would recognize a young Balanus in this ill formed little monster? Fig 123.—? are the two strong legs, (with spiny plate capable of rotatory & other motion) for boring holes in the shell?—

It is manifest this curious little animal forms new genus.—

Holuthuria (1135) Lowes Harbor: seems to differ from the one described at P 163 chiefly in its color, which is white, with tinge of flesh red: whereas the former is here seen of its usual salmon color.— Tentacula 10, small tree-like: 5 rows of papillæ, placed each in double order: papilla terminated by saucer like depression, which together with the sides are strengthened by a very close net-work of stone: it might be described as stony plate with circular holes:— Length 10 1/2 inch, breadth 1/15th when crawling.— Some of the individuals were closely adhæring to stones & bodies contracted; beneath there was a nest of loose ovules, 30 or 40 in number: colored orange, quite sphærical, diameter 1/20th of inch: contain coarse spherico-granular matter (possessed no motion).—

Planaria (2510) Hab: do amongst stones in shallow water: body depressed convex above of nearly equal breadth: length 1 inch, breadth 1/15th: tail obtusely pointed: head distinct from body, in front slightly bifid, posterior corner angular: on which & anterior margin are imbedded numerous eyes.— head placed on a neck of rather less diameter than body [sketch]: internal structure consists of slightly tortuous central clear space or vessel, on each side, with very

309

Chonos Archipel

1835 Jan

Planaria short & dense ramifications of the granular matter as so often described: could this clear space in posterior part of body become opaque & narrower so that lateral vessels arise nearer to each other: could see no orifice on under surface; on upper surface near tail through a square irregular orifice 2 white projections were protruded.— I do not know whether naturally.— Colored above dull "Art Blood R" beneath white. could crawl in either direction.—

Hirudo 1137 (a) (& 1094 from Chiloe) Jan 10th. Lowes Harbor.— These leaches bite peoples legs even when wearing boots, & are excessively abundant in some long grass near the beach.— When placed in a bottle with water, carefully adhæred to the dry parts: crawl very quickly, like geometric caterpillar.—

Length varys much, generally about an inch, & narrow in proportion:— posterior end rather broarder.— inferior surface flattened, upper convex.— Anterior sucker formed on a superior pointed oval entire lip & a semicircular lower one; in middle is the orifice, within which are the three jaws, the true mouth is in middle of these & rather triangular in shape. Each jaw is an elongated ridge, truncate at one extremity (a) & rounded on the other: there are on the edge of ridge about 50 most minute teeth (I believe each tooth is transversely double [sketch] they can only be made out with 1/10" focal distance lens. these are largest at truncate end, which is close over the mouth, & decrease (but very little) gradually to the opposite & rounded end.—

On the superior lip there are 10 black spots; these are not homogenious, but have small transparent aperture through them.— 6 are placed equidistant & follow curvature of very extremity; four other, two on each side are in

[3 annotated sketches in margin]

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(a) These animals are exceedingly numerous in the forests of Baldivia, & far from any water: they were sucking the blood in numbers from the bare legs of my guide: I found one young one adhæring to the body of a frog.— Perhaps these reptiles, which are very common in the woods, is the proper object of prey to the leach.— Bishop Heber alludes to wood Leaches in Ceylon

310

Chonos Archipel

1835 Jan

Hirudo a straight line & rather further apart. The posterior cup is placed rather obliquely on the extremity, but nearly parallel to inferior surface. is pale colored diameter 1/12th.— Skin strong leathery, with strong marked regular equidistant concentric segments: each of these segments is mamillated with small points.— There are also less marked longitudinal lines; hence the tegument is divided into squares (like back of armadillo): general appearance rough more like that of Pondbella muricata.— Under surface blackish brown, on each side a pale yellowish brown longitudinal band.— above figured with three shades of brown.— When crawling amongst herbage, surface rather dry.— Are said only to be present in the summer (V note to 1094), are a great pest from their eagerness for blood & great numbers.— Is a true Hirudo, differs chiefly in having upper lip entire?— The cause of its strange terrestrial habitat must be the dampness of the climate & forests.—

General Observat. Ornithology 2532 (b) 2502 (a) The thick forests are here tenanted by very few birds: The Barking bird1 (a Myothera, large like the Turco of Chile, of a sooty brown color, abdomen reddish) & the Cheucau vie with each other in uttering strange noises.— The little black wren3 (2502) equally inhabits the impervious mass of dying vegetable matter in the interior forest: it hops about in the same concealed manner & utters strange & loud notes: This bird I am told has been very rarely found near Valparaiso.— The creeper of T del Fuego pursues with its harsh chirp every intruder of the solitary woods.— The thrush of T del Fuego is not

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(a) Does not the formation of legs & beak point out some affinity in structure?— The Silgaro (2198), as in T. del Fuego, utters from some high tree its gentle plaintive note, which seems to proceed from no one Spot.—

(b) The Barking bird makes a noise which is frequently taken to be the whelping of a little dog.— is called by Indians of Chiloe "Guid-Guid". is very abundant with Cheucau in central forest of Chiloe: is said as well as the Cheucau to build its nest on the ground amongst sticks.—

311

Chonos Archipel: Gen: Observ:

1835 Jan

ornithology very uncommon.— The little humming bird, uttering its very acute note, dashes skips from side to side, is frequent even in the damp woods, where there are no flowers.— In the stomach of one, killed at Lowes Harbor, where now in the middle of summer there are many flowers, there was a black compact mass of the refuse of small insects.— A great many of these humming birds have been shot, yet scarcely any with the shining bright head of the cock bird: yet on opening them, many appear to be of that sex. Are they moulting? In the nest there are now young ones: 2503 Specimen (2503) is a male bird, without bright head: it may be observed these have a yellow gorge, & I have seen some specimens with brown feathers on the back.— Is it a different species? The black Furnarius on the coast is exceedingly common.—

The Carrancha & Chimango8 are occasionally seen (NB. The genus Caracara appears to me to supply the place of our Pica, Carrion Crow, Raven & Magpie ).— I was surprised to find considerable numbers of the Vultur Aura. They constantly attend on the herds of Seal; this (& refuse from the sea) must be their only support for there are no large quadrupeds.—

Mammalia (a) Many of the small islands are inhabited by mice; for instance the 3 fingered one in Lat: 45-46 where we anchored: At Lowes Harbor some of the small islands are thus inhabited (so the Chilotans told me), & others not so:— At S. Pedro we have the little deer (which is found at P. de Tres Montes), Foxes & mice: How inexplicable is the migration of quadrupeds in these Archipelagoes.—

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Mr Bynoe shot on Ynche Isd a large eared owl; stomach full of Marine Decapod Crustaceans

NB. A Handkerchief which brought home the skin of the Cervus Campestris at Maldonado (V private Journal for date) & has been in constant use, every time after washing gives out the smell of that animal & this is in the Jan: 1835.—

(a) On the main-land of Chiloe in the forest I see the large reddish Rat of Maldonado (& St Fe) is very common.—

(b) Mr Bynoe shot on Ynche Isd a large eared owl; stomach full of Marine Decapod Crustaceans

312

Chonos Archipel

1835 Jan

Otter 2529 (a) The otter (2529) is very common; the largest weighed 9 & 1/2 pounds; they have holes in the (a) Forest; they roam occassionally some distance from the shore; do not live solely on Fish, for Mr Bynoes saw one in T del Fuego eating part of a Cuttle fish; & one in Lowes Harbor was shot when bringing up a large Voluta! from the bottom.—

Nutria 2530 The Nutria Copied (of La Plata; Coypu of Chili) is also common; have burrows in the Forest; live in the Salt Water (as the Cavia Capybara in the Mouth of the R Plata is seen to do); are said to eat shell fish as well as vegetable matter; are good to eat, flesh white.— weight 10-11 pounds: fight very boldly with the dogs.— In the females, the Mammæ are placed nearly on the back or rather high up on the sides.— On this side of S. America, Gulf of Penas appears Southern limit: on the East coast the R. Chupat:

2499 Goats 2499 On the Island Ynche, there were very many wild goats: it is not possible to know when first turned out: Their color was pretty uniform, a varying shade of reddish brown: Many had a white mark on the forehead & a few on the lower jaw: All appeared to have a singular outline of forehead. Specimen (2499).— Is the head, I thought it worth keeping as these animals clearly from uniformity in color are retrograding into their original figure & color kind.

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(a) Both the Otter & the Seal (& birds such as Tern) feed chiefly on what sailors call Whale-food: viz. Crust: Macrou which swim in the Bays in large shoals.— Hence the dung of all the Hair Seals is quite red.— Tres Montes.—

313

Chonos Archipel: Gen: Obsev:

1835 Jan

Entomology: 2414 Chiloe & Chonos Archipelagoes do not appear essentially to differ in their Entomology: Diptera & Hymenoptera are the prevailing orders: Within the thick forests, minute Staphylinidæ: (& Pselaphus) & Hymenoptera (Cynips &c &c?) are very abundant: Anapsis is not uncommon: But generally Coleoptera are not abundant. The most characteristic genus in numbers of individuals (& indeed in species) is Lampyrus (?) such as (2414). Water beetles certainly are rare.— I think the number of English genera will be curious. I could almost fancy myself collecting in England.—

Vegetation (a) At S. Pedro (SE point of Chiloe) I first noticed the Antarctic Beech of T del Fuego, but at a considerable elevation & very stunted in its form.— In Midship Bay (Chonos) Lat: 45°-46°. This tree grew to a fair size at the waters edge & formed nearly 1/5th of the Wood.— From this point it doubtless continues to augment, till in T- del Fuego we find the woods essentially composed of it alone.— The arborescent grass which we see in Lowes Harbor (& perhaps in Lemous) is not found in this Midship Bay; Hence together with the numbers of the Beech the forest bears a different aspect from what it does in Chiloe.— Here Cryptogamic flora has reached its perfection (V specimens). In T del Fuego I have remarked, that the forest appears to be too dank & cold

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(a) These remarks about the Beech must be taken with caution; for I see one of the species least common in T del Fuego is common in central forest of Chiloe

314

Chonos Archipel: Gen: Obser:

1835 Jan

Vegetation Peat for even this order of plants: In this Latitude 45°S also I see that level pieces of ground instead of supporting trees, become covered with a thick bed of peat. Trees never seldom grow but on a slope in T del Fuego: whereas in Chiloe the plains form the densest forest. Here the climate seems more to resemble that of T del Fuego: indeed it is remarked by old Navigators on this coast, that in the whole distance between Chiloe & C. Horn, there is no great difference of climate. The peat is here formed by the plant called in T del Fuego "Bog plant" & another, Specimen (2475): It suppor These sociable plants support a few tufts of coarse grass, stunted little dwarf beeches & the "Tea Plant" of the Falklands — The aspect of the Bog is precisely that of T del Fuego.) — The Lat. 45°!!—

Potatoes (X142 Tubers) (2528) Copied in spirits Wild plants grow in abundance on all the islands of this group: the furthest point South, where Mr Stokes saw them was at Lemous: But Mr Lowes tells me the wild Indians in the Gulf of Trinidad know them well, call them Aquina & eat them, & say they grow in that neighbourhead.— At Lowes harbor (Lat: 44°) I visited a large bed: They appear a sociable plant: in all parts they grow in a sandy-shelly soil close to the beach, where the trees are not so close together: They are now (Jan 15th) in bud & flower: the (1142) tubers are few & small, especially in the plants in the shade, with luxuriant foliage. Yet I saw one, oval with the longest diameter two inches in length. They are very watery

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(a) & shrink, when boiled: When raw have the smell of Potatoes of Europe: When cooked are rather insipid but not bitter or ill-tasted & may be eat with impunity (V Humboldt, New Spain Vol II P. The stem of one plant from the ground to tip of upper leaf measured exactly 4 feet !!.—

These plants are unquestionably here amongst these uninhabited Islands in their wild state (Indians of South recognizing them & giving them Indian name, general occurrence on all, even very small islets &c &c).— They grow on a sandy soil, with much vegetable matter.— The Climate is very humid & little sunshine.— The Indians of Chiloe speaking the Williche language give them a different name from Aquina, the word of the West Patagonia.— The potatoes has been found near Valparaiso. V. Sabine Horticultural society?