to the Cape Verde Islands. 103 



next intimation we had of his return was the sunlight play- 

 ing upon his breast. This system of feeding the young was 

 always adopted; that is to say, while one bird was on 

 the war-path, the other remained in the vicinity of the nest, 

 ready to convey the food to the nestlings. 



The fish chiefly taken appeared to be the garoupa [Serranus 

 cabrilla), which abounds round the Sao Nicolau coast. From 

 the boy we learnt that there were several eyries in the 

 vicinity, and that the pairs had resorted to them for many 

 years in succession. 



During our stay in the locality we obtained two magnifi- 

 cent old birds, besides three immature specimens. 



X. List of the Birds of Sao Nicolau. 



1. Neophron percnopterus. 



A large company of this species frequents Tarrafal Bay, 

 where whaling is carried on. They feed on the blubber. 



2. MiLVUS MIGRANS. 



Three specimens obtained. 



3. Falco neglectus. 

 Common. 



4. Pandion haliaetus. 

 Five specimens obtained. 



5. Strix insularis. 



We constantly heard the screech of this Owl at night. 



6. CORVUS UMBRINUS. 



Plentiful. 



7. Sylvia conspicillata. 



8. Sylvia atricapilla. 

 Five specimens obtained. 



9. Calamocichla brevipennis. 



Fairly numerous, frequenting chiefly the coffee plantations . 

 Nine specimens obtained. 



10. Hirundo rustica. 



On April 15, as we passed through Stancha, we saw a 



