44 Murphy, Birds of Fernando Noronha. [jan. 



He directed us to a better beach around the westward promontory, 

 where he said he would meet us. Accordingly we pushed off shore, 

 while the poor islander, taking a pair of goatskin sandals from his 

 basket, painfully toiled up a stony, winding path across the ridge, 

 leaving his comrade to cast the net alone. 



After our whaleboat had rounded the point of rock there lay 

 before us a charming bit of seashore. The broad beach of golden 

 sand stretched in an even curve to another headland a mile beyond, 

 and sloped gently into the sea which for a long distance from shore 

 was wondrously transparent. The upper beach was a riot of vege- 

 tation, among which the tropical morning-glory, Ipomoea pes- 

 caprce, and a slender-stalked cactus (Cereus) were conspicuous; 

 and still beyond, a thicket of brush and trees, filled with fruit- 

 eating doves (Zanaida), concealed the base of the precipice. The 

 latter ran parallel to the water-line as far as the distant headland. 

 Its lower face was covered with vines which clambered up the 

 seams, and its crest was bordered with pink and orange-colored 

 blossoms of small trees whose roots drooped over the edge. Sharp 

 slabs of rock projected here and there, offering perfect nesting sites 

 for the birds which appeared in hosts whichever way we turned. 

 The chattering Noddies, of two species, were most abundant, but 

 large-eyed Gygis terns, and satin-feathered Bo'sun Birds (Phaethon) , 

 trailing their comet tails, were flying to and from the niches in the 

 cliff; a flock of migrating plover pattered along the edge of the sea; 

 and boobies and Man-o'-war-birds came wheeling in fearlessly 

 from their feeding grounds off shore. 



For the sea birds it is always springtime at Fernando Noronha, 

 The year is divided into rainy and dry periods, January to July, 

 July to December, respectively, but there is no fixed breeding 

 season, and eggs and young can be found in every month of the 

 twelve. For this reason the isle is a great center and source of 

 avian population; even such maritime species as the bo'sun birds, 

 which spend most of their lives in the remotest parts of the ocean, 

 can here be seen in their cliff-built homes from the year's beginning 

 to its end. 



Our volunteer guide had removed his carefully fostered sandals 

 on leaving the rough rock, and now awaited us on the beach. The 

 Daisy's cooper and I joined him, the rest of the boat party rowing 



