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uoou we got them aboard, together with a sack of crawfish which we caught about 

 the rocks. Had the crawfish for snpper ; the}' tasted like our lobsters. 



Sept. 1. — Weut ashore oarly. I got Pi/rocephalus aud Certhidea, and found a 

 hawk-billed turtle on the beach, which I turned over and dragged uji high. Beck 

 got two rats like the one secured yesterday. Several ducks and a couple of r.iil were 

 taken in the salt-water lake near the shore. There was quite a flock of ducks (teal), 

 which were very tame. Beck brought in about twenty-five doves, which he had 

 killed with stones. 



Sept. 2. — Went ashore early. Harris and Beck went down the beach to some 

 salt-water lagoons after ducks and waders, while HuU and myself ranged along the 

 beach in the other direction. I had very poor luck, getting one S Pyrocepkalics and 

 and a couple of the little green herons, which I knocked over with stones. Harris 

 and Beck brought back two stilts, two curlews, two tattlers, a turnstone, and some 

 ducks. (Several rail were also taken in the afternoon. The captain, mate, and 

 sailors started off, and the mate brought back two eggs of the great blue heron, the 

 remains of a set of three which he took from a nest 8 ft. up in a small tree. 



Sept. 3. — Started out at 7 a.m. in the yawl-boat, the captain, mate, one sailor, 

 aud the four collectors making the party. Leaving the vessel, we sailed along the 

 N.W. shore of the island. The shore presented quite a contrast of sand-beach and rock, 

 with the bright green of the mangrove trees, many patches of which were seen. 

 After sailing a couple of miles, we entered a little slue, which resembled very much 

 a New England stream, e.xcept for the diiferent character of the vegetation which 

 lined its sides. There were mangrove trees, with their branching roots ; cactns, 

 some resembling huge cucumbers joined together, and others tree-shaped, 8 and 



10 ft. high. Several great blue herons peered at us from their nests in the tops of 

 the mangroves, while the dignified-looking pelicans swam around us in small 

 bunches. A sail of a few more miles, and we reached a long sand-beach, where we 

 stopped to lunch. A group of seals, the largest seen thus far, furnished a good 

 scene for a picture. Soon after lauding one of the sailors and myself weut into the 

 interior on a dove hunt, aud managed to secure fourteen ; they were not very plentiful 

 at this end of the island. On our return the mate cooked the doves, the rest of the 

 luncheon was got out, and dinner began, every one enjoying it immensely. At about 

 3 p.m. the boat was shoved off again, and we set sail for home. It was cold and wet 

 work getting back, this disagreeable part lasting nearly four hours ; but arriving at 

 last, a fine hot sujjper completed the day. 



Sept. 4. — Left Conway Bay at 9 a.m., and started over to Snncan. Harris went 

 ashore on Duncan in the afternoon. Reported birds quite scarce. They could find 

 no anchorage. 



Sept. 5. — A very busy Sunday. Immediately after breakftist Harris, Hull, and 

 myself set out to visit a crater on (or uear) the top of Duncan. Ou lauding we 

 proceeded in different directions, so as to cover as much ground as possible. 

 Sparrows were plentiful — I shot a good many ; also two sjjecies of Camarhi/uchus 

 and a Certhidea. After a long walk I arrived at the edge of the crater at about 



11 a.m. Harris was already inside. We climbed down the side, I should say 

 260 feet, and reached the bottom, which was level aud covered all around with thick 

 bushes on the border. Grass, 2 feet high or more, covered the entire centre. 

 Geospiza, Certhidea, and Camarhynchus were abundant, and occasionally Fi/ro- 

 cephalm and Mt/iarchus were seen. Soon after reaching the bottom I heard Harris 

 calling out that he had caught a tortoise. Hull and myself got there as soon as 



