Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.3)

352 CHONOS ARCHIPELAGO. Jan. 1835. and Tapacolo. One is called by the inhabitants " Cheucau " {Pteroptochos rubecula). It frequents the most gloomy and retired spots wdthin the damp forests. Sometimes, although its cry may be heard close at hand, let a person watch ever so attentively, he will not see the cheucau j at other times, let him stand motionless, and the red-breasted httle bird will approach within a few feet, in the most famiUar manner. It then busily hops about the entangled mass of rotting canes and branches, with its little tail cocked upwards. I opened the gizzard of some specimens : it was very muscular, and contained hard seeds, buds of plants, and vegetable fibres, mixed with small stones. The cheucau is held in superstitious fear by the ChUotans, on account of its strange and varied cries. There are three very distinct kinds, — one is called "' chiduco,^' and is an omen of good ; another, " huitreu," which is extremely un- favourable ; and a third, which I have forgotten. These words are given in imitation of its cries, and the natives are in some things absolutely governed by them. The Chilotans assuredly have chosen a most comical little creature for their prophet. An alhed species, but rather larger, is called by the natives " Guid-guid" {Hylactes Tarnii of King, and Pteroptochos of Kittlitz), and by the English the barking-bird. This latter name is well given ; for I defy any one at first to feel certain that a small dog is not yelping somewhere in the forest. Just as with the cheucau, a person will sometimes hear the bark close by, but in vain may endeavour, by watching, and with htiU less chance by beating the bushes, to see its author ; yet at other times the guid-guid fearlessly comes near. Its man- ner of feeding and its general habits are very similar to those of the cheucau. Both species are said to build their nests close to the ground, amongst the rotten branches. The ground being so extremely wet, is a good reason why they do not burrow holes, like the northern species. Besides the cheucau and guid-guid, there is another species, but it is not very common. Moreover, the bird which has been men-