( 9-2 ) 



in the leaves while feeding, and tbe sap and dew which fall at night accumulate 

 and evidentl}- fnrnish water for them. A white-barkeil tree, often 20 ft. high, 

 resembling an apple tree, exuding a yellow pitch ; thorn bushes ; grass and vines. 

 Hair seal, reptiles, ignauas, turtles, and two species of lizards. Insects : house 

 flics, grasshoppers, and several butterflies.* Perhaps a dozen butterflies seen on 

 the wing ; many brilliant fish ; three species of sea crabs. Buteo, common and 

 breeding : one nest found in cactus, 10 ft. from ground ; nest of sticks lined with 

 grass very substantial, containing one fresh egg, white with slight greenish tint. 

 Geospiza, about five species taken. The number of each Geospiza collected fairly 

 representing their relative numbers on the island. 



No water found. Do not think tortoise exist here ; we could find no signs. 

 Black males of Geospiza strenua fairly common. More birds exist on southern 

 slope than on northern parts. 



Any. 19. — Worked on birds, etc. Arrived off Bindloe at 4 p.m., but wind 

 died ont and could not anchor. The island seems to be mostly bare lava. Gloomy 

 and forbidding. Patches of brush and trees show up in places. 



Atig. 20. — Good wind all night, and this morning early we were off' the north end 

 of the island. Spent the day cruising about looking for an anchorage. One day lost 

 by the liesitancy of the captain. About 4.30 drojiped anchor in about 1 1 fathoms 

 at place marked lo fathoms on chart (farther in). We landed for a few minutes 

 in the evening. 



Aug. 21. — Bindloe. All hands went ashore early collecting ; got a fair lot 

 of birds. Beck went to the interior of tlio island, l>nt got nothing different from 

 what we got on the coast. 



Aug. 22. — Hull and I took a long tramp to-day, wrapi)ing our feet and legs 

 in canvas for crossing lava. We went to the top of the island, and visited a number 

 of patches of brush looking for birds. I secured one mule Pyrocephulus. .One 

 young iii'de taken, but nofemole. The bird is here certainly very rare, as the two 

 noted were the only ones seen by the party. Geospiza crassirostris are very rare. 

 The island is an immense lava bed, crowned with a few hills covered with vegetation, 

 and a few small patches of brush on some side hills. Bird life is not jilentiful on 

 Bindloe Islanil. 



Aug. 23. — All went ashore early and collected till 10 a.m., when we came 

 aboard and weighed anchor, sailing for Tower Island with a strong southerly wind. 

 I have been sick all day, not working after getting aboard. 



Aug. 24. — I have been feeling unwell all day. At 2 p.m. we tacked ship 

 within 10 miles of Bindloe, having been sailing 20 hours with a strong wind, and not 

 gained an inch. Steering E. by S. and S.S.E. ; current and sea setting us to N.E. 



Aug. 25. — At noon to-day our position was about 50 miles N.E. of Tower, with 

 no immediate prospects of getting there. 



Aug. 26. — At noon to-day 40 miles N.E. of Tower, and everybody " out 

 of sorts." 



Aug. 27. — At 12 noon, lat. 51°, long. 88°. No cactus was observed on Bindloe, 

 but on a beach was found a vine growing, bearing a jiod like a pea, and with a 

 flower like a purple sweet pea. Hair seal and iguanas were j)leutifnl. AVe also saw 

 dragon-flies and grasshopjiers. Several species of bunch-grass grow on the island. 

 Aug. 28. — At noon we found our location to be 25 miles S.E. of Tower, 

 having had a southerly wind during the night and morning. AVe decided to skip 



• llio)te spec. 



