350 A NATURALIST OX THE "CHALLENGER." 



whereas the gannets were easily knocked over on the nests 

 with sticks. It is curious to see the Frigate birds, the nesting- 

 place of which is usually on high cliffs, as at Fernando Norhona, 

 here, through the entire security of the locality, nesting on the 

 ground. The main body of the Frigate birds remained during 

 our stay soaring high up in the air, with their eagle-like flight, 

 far above the cloud of other birds beneath. 



On the island were lying about the shells of numerous 

 turtles which had died there. In one place there was quite a 

 heap of these at a spot where there was a sort of miniature 

 gully, bounded by a perpendicular wall of rock about two feet in 

 height. It appeared as if the turtles had crawled up from the 

 sea-shore to spawn, and being stopped by this small cliff, had 

 been unable to turn round or go backwards, and had died there. 

 A Locust (Acridium) was very common amongst the grass on the 

 island, and a large Earwig (Forftcula) under the stones. 



Cape York, Australia, Sept. 1st to Sept. 8th, 18*4. — The 



" Challenger " reached Somerset, Cape York, the northernmost 

 point of Australia, on the evening of September 1st. The coast 

 leading up from the south towards Somerset, presents a succes- 

 sion of sandy bays, which looked glaring and hot as we passed 

 them in the distance. Behind these sands the country rises in 

 a succession of low hills, and is covered with a thick vegetation. 

 Somerset lies in a narrow channel, formed between the small 

 island of Albany and the mainland. The island, and also parts 

 of the mainland bordering the sea, at the entrance to the channel 

 from the south, are bare of trees, excepting " Screw pines," and 

 covered only with a grass, in the dry season withered into hay. 



These open grass-covered spaces are rendered most remark- 

 able objects, because they are covered in all directions with the 

 nests of Termites (White ants). These nests are great conical 

 structures of a brick red colour, often as much as ten feet in 

 height. Standing up all over the open country, they give the 

 scene almost the appearance of a pottery district in miniature, 

 beset with kiln chimneys. 



The tide runs in a regular race through the channel between 

 Albany Island and Somerset, and we drifted rapidly with it to 

 an anchorage opposite the small bay in which Somerset lies, 



