PREFACE XXV 



hundred, contained specimens of eight species 

 new to science. Besides these there were many 

 rarities, few of the birds of the small coral islands 

 to the north-west of Madagascar having been 

 previously represented in the National collection. 

 The new species discovered were as follows : — 

 A white tern {Gygis crawjordi) from South 



Trinidad ; 

 A diving petrel {Pelecanoides dacunhae) from 



Tristan da Cunha ; 

 A paradise-flycatcher {Terpsiphone lindsayi) 



from Mayotte, Comoro Islands ; 

 A swift {Cypselus mayottensis) from Mayotte, 



Comoro Islands ; 

 A ground-cuckoo {Centropus assumptionis) 



from Assumption Island ; 

 A turtle-dove [Turtur assumptionis) from 



Assumption Island ; 

 A heron {Butorides crawfordi) from Assump- 

 tion Island ; 

 A sunbird {Cinnyris mahei) from SeycheUe 

 Islands, 

 Many fishes and reptiles were collected, but 

 none of these proved to be new or of great interest, 

 except a large specimen of the ribbon-fish 

 {Regalecus), which was obtained at Cape Town. 

 This fish is rare in collections, its pelagic habits 

 making its capture difficult. 



Of the insects obtained I learn that several 

 belong to new species, or are otherwise rare or 



