Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.1): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

Feb. 1830. anson's voyage — seal — biuds. 307 nineteen fathoms, and the depth between tlie points of the bay is shown to be about fifty fathoms. There are few persons who have not read, with much interest, Mr. Walter's account of the Centurion's voyage, and who are not well acquainted with his description of this island, which we found exceedingly correct. The views of the land, although old-fashioned in execution, are most correctly delineated, and the plan of the bay is quite sufficient for every common pur- pose of navigation ; but as -we had an opportunity of fixing its latitude and longitude more correctly, it became desirable to make a more detailed plan than Commodore Ansons. The seals and sea-lions, which were so abundant formerly, are now reduced to such a small number, as to make the seal- fishery scarcely worth notice. They have been destroyed by taking them indiscriminately, without regard to age or sex, leaving none to propagate the race but those who by chance escaped. At present the island is let to a tenant, who is not permitted to kill them until the young have taken to the water, by which means an opportunity is given for them to increase. I am not aware that there are any indigenous animals. Dogs, goats, and rats, have been imported. Land birds are not nume- rous ; some pigeons, said to have been imported, and a few hawks, are occasionally seen, besides three species of humming- birds, two of which are new to science.* Of sea-birds we saw very few ; but were informed that the ' Goat Islands,' at the south-west end of Juan Fernandez, are completely covered by them at the breeding: season. During our stay, several excursions were made, in various directions, from the village, and much facilitated by beaten paths, one of which leads up a valley, westward of that of the • Trochilus Fernandensis, nob. Troch : feruyineo-rufus ; capitis vertice splendento-coccineo ; remigibus fuscis. Long-. .5 uncias. Trochilus Stokesii,nob. Troch: corjwre supra viridi-splendente, snltits alho, viridi-guttato ; capite supra, giittisque confer li s gula lazulino-spjknden- tihus : remigibus fusco-atris ; remigum omnium, mediis exceptis, pogoniis internis itlbis. Long. 4^ uncias. Proceed. Zool. Society, vol. i. ; also Phil. Magazine, for March 1831, p. 227. x2