76 Mr. B. Alexander — Expedition 



at the object of our expedition, telling us that " the resident 

 species on the islands are very few : in fact, nearly all the 

 birds are migratory and come from the Continent/^ Then, 

 pointing to a cage close by full of Estreldas, he said : 

 ''You can find these birds on Santiago breeding in a 

 wild state, among the sugar-cane. They were originally 

 imported from the West Coast/' Moreover, to add to our 

 discouragement, we learnt that we had come too late to find 

 the birds nesting, the breeding-season being in August, 

 September, and October, during the fall of the rains. 



II. Santiago. 



My original intention had been to commence by working 

 Santo Antao, situated not more than nine miles from Sao 

 Vicente, from the quay of which its southern coast, gently 

 sloping up to volcanic masses of hills, could be easily 

 discerned. But the Governor-General, who happened to be 

 going to Santiago, advised us to accompany him, and kindly 

 promised every help in his power towards the furtherance 

 of the expedition, adding that that island was the best of 

 the group as regards bird-life. Accordingly, on February 

 12th, in the afternoon, we started in the ' Loanda/ the 

 Portuguese mail-steamer, and at daybreak the next morning 

 reached Santiago, and dropped anchor in Porto Praya. 



The first birds we saw were a number of Black Kites. 

 Fifteen to twenty aj)peared over the water and kept beating 

 round the vessel's sides, dexterously catching up pieces of 

 offal. With legs well tucked into the breast-feathers, a 

 Kite would swoop towards its selected prey, always going 

 past it by a few inches ; when, with a sharp clean stroke, 

 the feet would be brought down to catch the object up, 

 and then, clearing the water by a few beats of its wings, 

 the bird prepared to devour the morsel, the head being 

 lowered and the feet grasping the food raised to the mouth, 

 a movement full of grace. 



Overlooking the bay is Praya itself, built upon a small 

 oblong plateau, the sides of which in places are inaccessible. 

 The houses, square and low, present a bright appearance ; 



