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1834 July. Island of Chiloe on West coast of S. America

Pediculus 1185 2561 dry These disgusting vermin are very abundant in Chiloe: several people have assured me that they are quite different from the Lice in England: they are said to be much larger & softer (hence will not crack under the nail). they infest the body even more than the head.— I should suppose they originally come from the Indians, whose race blood is so predominant with these Islanders

[in margin] Climate of Chiloe temperate & very humid I have little doubt this is the kind in common amongst the Patagonians of Gregory Bay; they are said to be very there also very large.— An accurate examination of these specimens will at once decide the fact of identity or difference.— Mr Martial, a surgeon of an English Whaler, assures me that the Lice of the Sandwich Islanders are blacker & different from all these, or any lice which he ever saw.— Several of the natives lived for months & cruized in the ship, no efforts could free their bodies from these parasites, but he assures me as a certain fact, known to every one on board, that their lice if they strayed to the bodies of the English in 3 or 4 days died, & were found adhæring to the linen (like Pediculi from Birds or quadrupeds?). So that the Sailors who constantly slept close to the Sandwichers never were constantly infected by these vermin.— If these facts were verified their interest would be great.— Man springing from one stock according his varieties having different parasites.— It leads one into many reflections.—

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The inhab

* See my Journal under head of Chiloe for account of inhabitants few are pure bred.