^"'i'..^o'^"J M.\(-r.TT.r.rvRAV, Nafes an Sea-Birch. 165 



mollis). A Prion was also noticed skimming and dipping over 

 the sea. Tlu' nrarest land to this point was the islands of St. 

 Paul's and Amsterdam, 1,200 miles away. Two days later, when 

 1,000 miles from Mauritius, in lat. 24° S., long 75° 'E., another of 

 the Brown-and-White Petrels was seen. 



Mauritius was sighted on the 5th June. Large flocks of a Tern 

 very like our Brown-winged Tern were fishing over the sea. 

 No more birds were met with until we were well past Madagascar, 

 on our way down the coast, when a dark brown or black Petrel 

 made its appearance ; probably this was the Mascarene variety 

 of the long-winged Fulmar. Prions began to appear, to be soon 

 followed by the Wandering and Sooty Albatrosses. 



Nearing Durban, on the 13th June, birds were much more 

 numerous, especially the Black-browed Mollymawk and the 

 White-chinned Petrel [Procellaria cequinoctialis) , and, in the harbour 

 itself, were many Gulls of two species — the Southern Black-backed 

 Gull {Lams dominicns) and the Grey-headed Gull {L. cirr/io- 

 cephalus). 



Leaving Durban five days later, we had a rough trip to the 

 Cape. Numbers of Prions flew with lightning-like rapidity over 

 the waves. A Gannet {Siila capensis) was fairly common soon 

 after leaving, and also many specimens of Sooty and Wandering 

 Albatrosses, Black-browed Mollymawks, and Cape Hens. 



We arrived at Cape Town on 20th June. Near the bay were 

 Gannets, Cormorants, and Southern Black-backed Gulls, and, 

 swimming closely together, were many flocks of the Jackass 

 Penguin [Spheniscus demersiis). 



We left Cape Town on the following day, passing the same 

 birds on our way out over the fishing grounds. Later in the day, 

 when further out. Cape Hens and Prions began to appear, then a 

 number of Yellow-webbed Storm-Petrels {(). oceaiiiciis), Black- 

 browed Albatrosses, and Cape Hens. 



On the 22nd only a few birds were about, of two species — Black- 

 browed Mollymawks and Cape Hens. 



By the 23rd the weather was warming. Big, darkly-coloured 

 specimens of the Wandering Albatross, with light heads, giving 

 them a bald appearance, and Gannets, were fairly common. \\'e 

 were now about 150 miles from the coast, and just below the 

 Tropic of Capriccjrn. 



We. arrived at Freetown on the 5th July, not having seen any 

 birds since the 25th June. In Freetown harbour 'a. species of 

 Tern was common, and a black (or rather brown) backed Gull, 

 smaller than the South African bird, and with a much paler 

 upper surface. 



We left Freetown on tlu' 7th July. Many Storm-Petrels 

 {Oceanites oceanicus) were seen later on the same day. After this 

 no more birds were seen till Plymouth harbour was reached on 

 the 19th of the same month. 



On my return voyage, probably because we sailed singly and not 

 in convoy, and because a more southerly course was taken from 



