104 Mr. B. Alexander — Expedition 



Swallow flying up and down one of the narrow streets, and 

 on the 26th another one among a party o£ Swifts {Cypselus 

 unicolor) . 



11. Passer salicicola. 



12. Passer jagoensis. 



13. Cypselus unicolor. 



Breeds among rocky portions of the hills. Two speci- 

 mens obtained. 



14. NUMIDA meleagris. 



There are several large flocks on the island, and these 

 frequent the hills during the day, but come down toAvards 

 the evening and the early morning to feed on the maize-plots, 

 where they do a considerable amount of damage. 



Each flock has a leader, which is the first to show himself 

 on some commanding point overlooking the feeding-ground 

 to see whether all is safe, after which he utters his well-known 

 cry, a signal for the others to come and invade the lower 

 ground ; and so strict a look-out does he keep over them 

 while feeding that it is difficult to approach within five 

 hundred yards of the flock. 



15. numenius ph^opus. 



16. Ardea garzetta. 



The only breeding-station is in Tarrafal Bay, where we 

 met with nine pairs of birds. On April 24th laying had 

 not commenced, but one of the nests was nearly completed, 

 being composed of twigs of Acacia albida and lined with 

 dried grass and goats^-hair. The nests were either built on 

 ledges in the cliffs about 20 feet above the rocks or in 

 small cavern-like recesses. Out of this colony we obtained 

 seven specimens. In diff'erent individuals the colour of the 

 legs and feet varied considerably. Some had those parts 

 absolutely black {Ardea nigripes Temm.), and in others 

 they were spotted with yellow [Ardea garzetta), while the 

 feet of one individual were pale greenish-yellow. 



There can be no doubt that all the Egrets we obtained 

 belong to one and the same species, and that the colour of 



