isobvious。AtothertimesIheardofthemarvellouspropertyofcertainrivers，whichhadthepowerofchangingsmallbonesintolarge；or，assomemaintained，thebonesthemselvesgrew。AsfarasIamaware，notoneoftheseanimalsperished，aswasformerlysupposed，inthemarshesormuddyriver-bedsofthepresentland，buttheirboneshavebeenexposedbythestreamsintersectingthesubaqueousdepositinwhichtheywereoriginallyembedded。WemayconcludethatthewholeareaofthePampasisonewidesepulchreoftheseextinctgiganticquadrupeds。
Bythemiddleoftheday，onthe28th，wearrivedatMonteVideo，havingbeentwodaysandahalfontheroad。Thecountryforthewholewaywasofaveryuniformcharacter，somepartsbeingrathermorerockyandhillythannearthePlata。NotfarfromMonteVideowepassedthroughthevillageofLasPietras，sonamedfromsomelargeroundedmassesofsyenite。Itsappearancewasratherpretty。Inthiscountryafewfig-treesroundagroupofhouses，andasiteelevatedahundredfeetabovethegenerallevel，oughtalwaystobecalledpicturesque。
DuringthelastsixmonthsIhavehadanopportunityofseeingalittleofthecharacteroftheinhabitantsoftheseprovinces。TheGauchos，orcountryrmen，areverysuperiortothosewhoresideinthetowns。TheGauchoisinvariablymostobliging，polite，andhospitable：Ididnotmeetwithevenoneinstanceofrudenessorinhospitality。Heismodest，bothrespectinghimselfandcountry，butatthesametimeaspirited，boldfellow。Ontheotherhand，manyrobberiesarecommitted，andthereismuchbloodshed：
thehabitofconstantlywearingtheknifeisthechiefcauseofthelatter。
Itislamentabletohearhowmanylivesarelostintriflingquarrels。
Infighting，eachpartytriestomarkthefaceofhisadversarybyslashinghisnoseoreyes；asisoftenattestedbydeepandhorrid-lookingscars。
Robberiesareanaturalconsequenceofuniversalgambling，muchdrinking，andextremeindolence。AtMercedesIaskedtwomenwhytheydidnotwork。
Onegravelysaidthedaysweretoolong；theotherthathewastoopoor。
Thenumberofhorsesandtheprofusionoffoodarethedestructionofallindustry。Moreover，therearesomanyfeast-days；andagain，nothingcansucceedwithoutitbebegunwhenthemoonisontheincrease；sothathalfthemonthislostfromthesetwocauses。
Policeandjusticearequiteinefficient。Ifamanwhoispoorcommitsmurderandistaken，hewillbeimprisoned，andperhapsevenshot；butifheisrichandhasfriends，hemayrelyonitnoverysevereconsequencewillensue。Itiscuriousthatthemostrespectableinhabitantsofthecountryinvariablyassistamurderertoescape：theyseemtothinkthattheindividualsinsagainstthegovernment，andnotagainstthepeople。
Atravellerhasnoprotectionbesideshisfire-arms；andtheconstanthabitofcarryingthemisthemainchecktomorefrequentrobberies。Thecharacterofthehigherandmoreeducatedclasseswhoresideinthetowns，partakes，butperhapsinalesserdegree，ofthegoodpartsoftheGaucho，butis，Ifear，stainedbymanyvicesofwhichheisfree。Sensuality，mockeryofallreligion，andthegrossestcorruption，arefarfromuncommon。Nearlyeverypublicofficercanbebribed。Theheadmaninthepost-officesoldforgedgovernmentfranks。Thegovernorandprimeministeropenlycombinedtoplunderthestate。Justice，wheregoldcameintoplay，washardlyexpectedbyanyone。IknewanEnglishman，whowenttotheChiefJustice(hetoldme，thatnotthenunderstandingthewaysoftheplace，hetrembledasheenteredtheroom)，andsaid，“Sir，Ihavecometoofferyoutwohundred(paper)dollars(valueaboutfivepoundssterling)ifyouwillarrestbeforeacertaintimeamanwhohascheatedme。Iknowitisagainstthelaw，butmylawyer(naminghim)recommendedmetotakethisstep。”TheChiefJusticesmiledacquiescence，thankedhim，andthemanbeforenightwassafeinprison。Withthisentirewantofprincipleinmanyoftheleadingmen，withthecountryfullofill-paidturbulentofficers，thepeopleyethopethatademocraticformofgovernmentcansucceed！
Onfirstenteringsocietyinthesecountries，twoorthreefeaturesstrikeoneasparticularlyremarkable。Thepoliteanddignifiedmannerspervadingeveryrankoflife，theexcellenttastedisplayedbythewomenintheirdresses，andtheequalityamongstallranks。AttheRioColoradosomemenwhokeptthehumblestshopsusedtodinewithGeneralRosas。A
sonofamajoratBahiaBlancagainedhislivelihoodbymakingpapercigars，andhewishedtoaccompanyme，asguideorservant，toBuenosAyres，buthisfatherobjectedonthescoreofthedangeralone。Manyofficersinthearmycanneitherreadnorwrite，yetallmeetinsocietyasequals。
InEntreRios，theSalaconsistedofonlysixrepresentatives。Oneofthemkeptacommonshop，andevidentlywasnotdegradedbytheoffice。Allthisiswhatwouldbeexpectedinanewcountry；neverthelesstheabsenceofgentlemenbyprofessionappearstoanEnglishmansomethingstrange。
Whenspeakingofthesecountries，themannerinwhichtheyhavebeenbroughtupbytheirunnaturalparent，Spain，shouldalwaysbeborneinmind。Onthewhole，perhaps，morecreditisdueforwhathasbeendone，thanblameforthatwhichmaybedeficient。Itisimpossibletodoubtbutthattheextremeliberalismofthesecountriesmustultimatelyleadtogoodresults。Theverygeneraltolerationofforeignreligions，theregardpaidtothemeansofeducation，thefreedomofthepress，thefacilitiesofferedtoallforeigners，andespecially，asIamboundtoadd，toeveryoneprofessingthehumblestpretensionstoscience，shouldberecollectedwithgratitudebythosewhohavevisitedSpanishSouthAmerica。
December6th——TheBeaglesailedfromtheRioPlata，neveragaintoenteritsmuddystream。OurcoursewasdirectedtoPortDesire，onthecoastofPatagonia。Beforeproceedinganyfurther，Iwillhereputtogetherafewobservationsmadeatsea。
SeveraltimeswhentheshiphasbeensomemilesoffthemouthofthePlata，andatothertimeswhenofftheshoresofNorthernPatagonia，wehavebeensurroundedbyinsects。Oneevening，whenwewereabouttenmilesfromtheBayofSanBlas，vastnumbersofbutterflies，inbandsorflocksofcountlessmyriads，extendedasfarastheeyecouldrange。Evenbytheaidofatelescopeitwasnotpossibletoseeaspacefreefrombutterflies。
Theseamencriedout“itwassnowingbutterflies。”andsuchinfactwastheappearance。Morespeciesthanonewerepresent，butthemainpartbelongedtoakindverysimilarto，butnotidenticalwith，thecommonEnglishColiasedusa。Somemothsandhymenopteraaccompaniedthebutterflies；andafinebeetle(Calosoma)flewonboard。Otherinstancesareknownofthisbeetlehavingbeencaughtfaroutatsea；andthisisthemoreremarkable，asthegreaternumberoftheCarabidaeseldomornevertakewing。Thedayhadbeenfineandcalm，andtheoneprevioustoitequallyso，withlightandvariableairs。Hencewecannotsupposethattheinsectswereblownofftheland，butwemustconcludethattheyvoluntarilytookflight。ThegreatbandsoftheColiasseematfirsttoaffordaninstancelikethoseonrecordofthemigrationsofanotherbutterfly，Vanessacardui；[5]butthepresenceofotherinsectsmakesthecasedistinct，andevenlessintelligible。Beforesunsetastrongbreezesprungupfromthenorth，andthismusthavecausedtensofthousandsofthebutterfliesandotherinsectstohaveperished。
Onanotheroccasion，whenseventeenmilesoffCapeCorrientes，Ihadanetoverboardtocatchpelagicanimals。Upondrawingitup，tomysurprise，Ifoundaconsiderablenumberofbeetlesinit，andalthoughintheopensea，theydidnotappearmuchinjuredbythesaltwater。Ilostsomeofthespecimens，butthosewhichIpreservedbelongedtothegeneraColymbetes，Hydroporus，Hydrobius(twospecies)，Notaphus，Cynucus，Adimonia，andScarabaeus。
AtfirstIthoughtthattheseinsectshadbeenblownfromtheshore；butuponreflectingthatoutoftheeightspeciesfourwereaquatic，andtwootherspartlysointheirhabits，itappearedtomemostprobablethattheywerefloatedintotheseabyasmallstreamwhichdrainsalakenearCapeCorrientes。Onanysuppositionitisaninterestingcircumstancetofindliveinsectsswimmingintheopenoceanseventeenmilesfromthenearestpointofland。ThereareseveralaccountsofinsectshavingbeenblownoffthePatagonianshore。CaptainCookobservedit，asdidmorelatelyCaptainKingoftheAdventure。Thecauseprobablyisduetothewantofshelter，bothoftreesandhills，sothataninsectonthewingwithanoff-shorebreeze，wouldbeveryapttobeblownouttosea。ThemostremarkableinstanceIhaveknownofaninsectbeingcaughtfarfromtheland，wasthatofalargegrasshopper(Acrydium)，whichflewonboard，whentheBeaglewastowindwardoftheCapedeVerdIslands，andwhenthenearestpointofland，notdirectlyopposedtothetrade-wind，wasCapeBlancoonthecoastofAfrica，370milesdistant。[6]
Onseveraloccasions，whentheBeaglehasbeenwithinthemouthofthePlata，therigginghasbeencoatedwiththeweboftheGossamerSpider。
Oneday(November1st，1832)Ipaidparticularattentiontothissubject。
Theweatherhadbeenfineandclear，andinthemorningtheairwasfullofpatchesoftheflocculentweb，asonanautumnaldayinEngland。Theshipwassixtymilesdistantfromtheland，inthedirectionofasteadythoughlightbreeze。Vastnumbersofasmallspider，aboutone-tenthofaninchinlength，andofaduskyredcolour，wereattachedtothewebs。
Theremusthavebeen，Ishouldsuppose，somethousandsontheship。Thelittlespider，whenfirstcomingincontactwiththerigging，wasalwaysseatedonasinglethread，andnotontheflocculentmass。Thislatterseemsmerelytobeproducedbytheentanglementofthesinglethreads。
Thespiderswereallofonespecies，butofbothsexes，togetherwithyoungones。Theselatterweredistinguishedbytheirsmallersizeandmoreduskycolour。Iwillnotgivethedescriptionofthisspider，butmerelystatethatitdoesnotappeartometobeincludedinanyofLatreille’sgenera。
Thelittleaeronautassoonasitarrivedonboardwasveryactive，runningabout，sometimeslettingitselffall，andthenreascendingthesamethread；
sometimesemployingitselfinmakingasmallandveryirregularmeshinthecornersbetweentheropes。Itcouldrunwithfacilityonthesurfaceofthewater。Whendisturbeditliftedupitsfrontlegs，intheattitudeofattention。Onitsfirstarrivalitappearedverythirsty，andwithexsertedmaxillaedrankeagerlyofdropsofwater，thissamecircumstancehasbeenobservedbyStrack：mayitnotbeinconsequenceofthelittleinsecthavingpassedthroughadryandrarefiedatmosphere？Itsstockofwebseemedinexhaustible。
Whilewatchingsomethatweresuspendedbyasinglethread，Iseveraltimesobservedthattheslightestbreathofairborethemawayoutofsight，inahorizontalline。
Onanotheroccasion(25th)undersimilarcircumstances，Irepeatedlyobservedthesamekindofsmallspider，eitherwhenplacedorhavingcrawledonsomelittleeminence，elevateitsabdomen，sendforthathread，andthensailawayhorizontally，butwitharapiditywhichwasquiteunaccountable。
IthoughtIcouldperceivethatthespider，beforeperformingtheabovepreparatorysteps，connecteditslegstogetherwiththemostdelicatethreads，butIamnotsurewhetherthisobservationwascorrect。
Oneday，atSt。Fe，Ihadabetteropportunityofobservingsomesimilarfacts。Aspiderwhichwasaboutthree-tenthsofaninchinlength，andwhichinitsgeneralappearanceresembledaCitigrade(thereforequitedifferentfromthegossamer)，whilestandingonthesummitofapost，dartedforthfourorfivethreadsfromitsspinners。These，glitteringinthesunshine，mightbecomparedtodivergingraysoflight；theywerenot，however，straight，butinundulationslikefilmsofsilkblownbythewind。
Theyweremorethanayardinlength，anddivergedinanascendingdirectionfromtheorifices。Thespiderthensuddenlyletgoitsholdofthepost，andwasquicklyborneoutofsight。Thedaywashotandapparentlycalm；
yetundersuchcircumstances，theatmospherecanneverbesotranquilasnottoaffectavanesodelicateasthethreadofaspider’sweb。Ifduringawarmdaywelookeitherattheshadowofanyobjectcastonabank，oroveralevelplainatadistantlandmark，theeffectofanascendingcurrentofheatedairisalmostalwaysevident：suchupwardcurrents，ithasbeenremarked，arealsoshownbytheascentofsoap-bubbles，whichwillnotriseinanin-doorsroom。HenceIthinkthereisnotmuchdifficultyinunderstandingtheascentofthefinelinesprojectedfromaspider’sspinners，andafterwardsofthespideritself；thedivergenceofthelineshasbeenattemptedtobeexplained，IbelievebyMr。Murray，bytheirsimilarelectricalcondition。Thecircumstanceofspidersofthesamespecies，butofdifferentsexesandages，beingfoundonseveraloccasionsatthedistanceofmanyleaguesfromtheland，attachedinvastnumberstothelines，rendersitprobablethatthehabitofsailingthroughtheairisascharacteristicofthistribe，asthatofdivingisoftheArgyroneta。WemaythenrejectLatreille’ssupposition，thatthegossamerowesitsoriginindifferentlytotheyoungofseveralgeneraofspiders：although，aswehaveseen，theyoungofotherspidersdopossessthepowerofperformingaerialvoyages。[7]
