80 VOYAGES OF A NATURALIST 



sanderlings in full winter plumage on the shore, 

 and in their company were several turnstones, 

 — both very common visitors to England in spring 

 and autumn. Occasionally a few small parties 

 of ruffs and reeves,* another well-known British 

 bird, were met with. Flying about round the 

 lighthouse were several swallows of our familiar 

 speciesf and a pair of wagtails of one of the Cape 

 species, J which is not unlike our pied wagtail, were 

 about to nest on the light-keeper's house. 



Giant petrels were swimming in the sea close 

 to the shore on the windward side, and they 

 probably fed on the young cormorants and 

 penguins, especially those that were weak and 

 sickly. 



As we had to get on board the tug at mid-day, 

 our time ashore was limited, but we managed to 

 cover a good deal of ground and saw most of the 

 principal nesting places. 



On our way back to Cape Town we saw little 

 of interest, with the exception of a noddy tern,§ 

 which has not previously been recorded from the 

 Cape of Good Hope. 



The day before we sailed away from Cape Town 

 a ribbon fish (Regalecus) of about seven feet in 

 length was caught by some fishermen in Table Bay. 

 It was brought on board, and Lord Cra^vford 

 purchased it for the British Museum. It was 



* Machetes pugnax. f Hirundo rustica. 



% Motacilla capensis. § Anous stolidus. 



