THE AMERICAN MUSEUM JOURNAL 



are rapidly disappearing. The Bird Rock group, for example, 

 is not only beautiful in itself and it not alone illustrates the 

 breeding habits of seven species of sea-birds, but, as a whole, it 

 shows a characteristic phase of coast bird-life which in nature can 

 now be found only in the most isolated or inaccessible localities. 

 Acting, therefore, on this principle the writer has made two jour- 

 neys during the past season, one to the Bahama Islands and 

 one to the coast of Virginia, to secure material for bird groups, 

 funds for which have been presented to the Museum by John L. 

 Cadwalader, Esq. 



The object of the first trip was to find and collect nests and 

 specimens of the Flamingo. This beautiful bird is yearly be- 

 coming rarer, and still little is known of its breeding habits, while, 

 so far as the writer is aware, at the time this expedition was 

 planned, no example of the singular nest built by the Fla- 

 mingo existed in this country, those exhibited in Pittsburg and 

 at Washington being made of papier inacJie. 



Since the single flock of Flamingoes which frequents the 

 vicinity of Cape Sable, Florida, is the only one known to inhabit 

 the United States, and because its nesting grounds have not yet 

 been discovered, it was decided to visit the Bahama Islands in 

 search of the desired nests and specimens. In the latter part of 

 April, therefore, the writer sailed for Nassau, where he joined J. 

 Lewis Bonhote, Esq., of Cambridge, England. Mr. Bonhote was 

 formerly Governor's Secretary at Nassau and his experience 

 among the islands was of the utmost assistance in the furtherance 

 of our plans. We chartered a small schooner and set sail for 

 Andros, the largest of the Bahama Islands and well known to 

 naturalists as a resort of Flamingoes. During the winter these 

 birds live chiefly on the west coast of the island, where the 

 shallow water and soft marl bottom afford them an abundance 

 of food and prevent pursuit either by boat or on foot; but 

 in May they gather in some before-frequented lagoon in the in- 

 terior of the islands, far from the habitation of man, to rear 

 their young. These breeding resorts are few in number and 

 their whereabouts are comparatively unknown. Thanks, how- 

 ever, to Mr. Bonhote, who had reconnoitred the ground, we 



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