( 90 ) 



niifortnnately they were lost. Two species of crab ; f) taken and [nit in alcoliol. 

 Fisli very abundant abont the island. One very hriglif (foUl tiali, like qolil leaf, say 

 8 to 12 li>. in wciuht. It was cool and comfortable dnring all our stay. There seemed 

 to be a number of fnr seals abont the reef and arched rock. (We only observed fnr 

 seal at Cnlpcpper and Wenman — more plentiful at 'Weiiman.) 



Jiib/ ;iO. — Worked jmtting uji skins and blowinir eirjjs. 



Jtili/ 31. — The morning found ns closi' to Wenman Island. 



After breakfast we went ashore. The island is a portion of a crater — with one 

 side gone. Most of the middle and large island is a higii sharp ridge, inaccessible ; 

 but one end flattens out in two directions, having a flat top, over which we collected. 

 There is a big rock on one cud of the main island, and off the other is a small round flat 

 island. We returned to the vessel about 13, and put up 5s skins by 8 o'clock. Beck 

 secured a heron and several Crenffrus eggs. The black-capped tern — -so plentiful 

 at Culpepper — is only a straggler here. The male frigate bird sits on the edge of 

 nest and distends its pouch like a child's toy rubber balloon : if you frighten it oiT it 

 goes with pouch distended. We could see them from the vessel sailing around, 

 with the bright scarlet pouches showing to advantage. The frigate birds we found 

 to lay only one egg, breeding both on gronnd and on bushes, seeming to prefer the 

 latter ; nest 2 to 8 feet from gronnd. 



Ally. ]. — To-day I took the mate and one sailor, and went after fur seal, securing 

 several. They were found lying in caves among the rocks, and were shot or clubbed 

 on being aroused. We caught one small one. This appeared to be say 3 or 4 

 weeks old. 



Ai((j. 2. — Expected to work the island to-day, bnt we are five miles oft" and 

 drifting away. Calm. 



Aug. 3. — Still calm, and cannot get to the island in the afternoon. Put out 

 boat, and boys jiicked np petrels and tern. 



Anf). 4. — All hands worked the island to-day, securing sixty birds, eggs, shells, 

 etc., also one centijiede. We returned to the vessel about 3 j).m., and pnt np our 

 stuff. Vessel headed for Abingdon with a passable wind. We took one specimen 

 of lirge Geospiza — possibly mcu/n/rosfrig* This was the only one seen on the 

 island. Presumably the Ccrthulca and Geoapiza are new species, and the black- 

 capped tern is new to the islands. This refers to both C'nlpepper and Wenman. 



Wenman Island consists principally of volcanic rock aud some sandstone. The 

 island consists properly of three islands. These are a steep inaccessible rock ; 

 tiie large main island, part of which can be worked ; and a low, flat island, which 

 has been gone over. Vegetation : cactus bushes, vines, and a white morning glory. 

 Mammals : fur seal, brown hair seal ; a cub seen was cream colour, with blackish 

 spots. Ignanas, turtles, centipedes, and house flies. Three or four kinds of water 

 crabs. Shidls and urchins abundant. Many species of bright fish. One specimen 

 of frigate bird, thirty-six of which were taken here, was very ])ecnliarly coloured. 

 I'V'et madder red ; gular sac, eyelids and bare space indigo ; bill horn ; iris dark 

 brown : this colouring being entirely different from any others. 



The CrcAujrus makes its nest by gathering chips of lava and piling them around, 

 leaving a hollow. I noticed the feet of the bine-faced booby Imvo a more greenish or 

 bluish cast than those from C'larion Island. t Kae<' and gular sac darker. In other 

 words, the flesh parts are a darker colour than on those from Clarion. 1 secured one 



* O. stmiva. Sec p. 15.5. 



f Those frnm Clarion Islnnd were trno iSiiht cyani^pa, tho^e liorc Svhi rdvji'iiata. 



