to a Nesting-place of the Frigate-bird. 151 



Island, in the bay of Fonseca, on the Pacific coast of Hon- 

 duras. It is called Bird Island, and is not more than an acre 

 in extent, and of an oblong shape. At one end the beach is 

 sandy, and at low-water one can walk across to another island 

 close adjoining. At the other end the shore is rocky, and it is 

 much the same at the sides, the beach being strewn with large 

 volcanic stones. The surface of the island is some 30 or 40 

 feet above the sea-level. It is covered with long grass, and 

 there are also a few trees and low shrubs — mangroves {Rhizo- 

 phora mangle, Linn.) — growing in places, especially about high- 

 water mark. At a distance the most conspicuous object was a 

 numerous flight of Frigate-birds soaring over the island. As 

 we approached, large white patches, caused by the droppings of 

 the birds, became visible. We landed on the flat sandy beach, 

 and in a few minutes I had shot a pair of Tiger-Bitterns [Tigri- 

 soma tigrinum), which allowed me to approach without any dif- 

 ficulty. Besides these and the Frigate-birds, we saw no birds on 

 the island, except a few Pelicans, some large Accipitres, and a 

 single Booby [Sula fusca) , which had its nest on a low tree, in 

 company with the Frigate-birds. The whole island was appro- 

 priated by the latter. Nearly every tree and bush, both high 

 and low, was covered with birds and their nests. The latter 

 were mostly composed of a few sticks laid crossways, hardly as 

 much in quantity as in the nest of the Ring-dove {Columba 

 palumbus). Each nest contained a single egg, about the size of 

 a hen's-egg, and of a chalky whiteness *. We brought away 

 nearly a hundred of them. Some were quite fresh, and others 

 had been sat upon some days. Although the nests were upon 

 low bushes, still they were placed just too high for one to reach 

 the eggs without climbing. Many of the nests were on the 

 mangrove bushes which were growing just above high-water 

 mark, so that we could see into them when standing on the 

 bank of the island, which was at a higher level. Some of the 

 birds were sitting on their nests, and others were perched upon 

 the branches. By firing into the mass I might have killed a 



* Specimens taken by Mr. Taylor, and exhibited at a meeting of the 

 Zoological Society (June 8, 1858), measured 2| by If inches. See P. Z. S. 

 1858, p. 318. 



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