Letters, Announcements, i^'c. 457 



on our way, and, setting eight snares round the bovver, anxiously 

 awaited the result. It was not long before we heard the harsh 

 scolding cry of the old bird, and knew that he had " put his 

 foot in it." Having taken him out and transferred him to a 

 temporary cage, we carefully pushed a board, brought for the 

 purpose, underneath the bower and removed it without injuiy. 

 It is now before me, and is placed upon and supported by a 

 platform of sticks, which, crossing each other in various direc- 

 tions, form a solid foundation, into which the upright twigs are 

 stuck. This platform is about 14- inches long by 10 broad, the 

 upright twigs are some 10 or 12 inches high, and the entrances 

 4 inches wide. The middle measures 4 inches across, and is 

 filled with land shells of five or six species, and several kinds of 

 berries of various colours, blue, red, and black, which gave it, 

 when fresh, a very pretty appearance. Besides these there were 

 several newly-picked leaves and young shoots of a pinkish tint, 

 the whole showing a decided " taste for the beautiful " on the 

 part of this species. I remain, &c. 



Edward P. Ramsay. 

 Dobroyde, 

 March 12, 1867. 



South African Museum, Capetown, 

 June 17th, 1867. 



Sir, — The recent acquisition of some, to me, new and rare 

 eggs, belonging to birds which breed on some of the islands in the 

 inhospitable Antarctic regions, induces me to forward you a few 

 notes on them and on the habits of some of the birds of those 

 regions. 



The eggs, together with a collection of skins of several species 

 of birds, and a fine skin of the male Sea-elephant {MacrorhiniLS 

 proboscidius) were brought from the Crozette Islands by Captain 

 Armson, who commands a vessel plying between this port and 

 the islands, bringing up oil obtained from the Sea-elephants 

 caught at the stations on that group. Captain Armson is 

 becoming more and more enthusiastic in his researches as he 

 experiences the pleasures of the study; and I need scarcely say his 

 observations increase in value. Many of them I have had con- 



