246 Dr. O. Fiusch's Ornithological 



islands of the Pacific in a spot, which, so far as I know, has 

 never been visited before by any naturalist. This is the 

 small island Nawodo (Onawero), as the natives call it, or 

 "Pleasant Island '' of the whalers and other mariners, situated 

 in (according to Findlay's Directory) 0°25'S. lat., 167° 5' E. 

 long. Although discovered as early as 1 795 by Capt. Fearn, 

 there exists no chart of this island, the circumference of which 

 is estimated to be about fifteen miles. We sighted Pleasant 

 Island at daybreak on July 24th; and by the kindness of 

 Capt. Hernsheim, partner of the well-known firm " Herns- 

 heim & Co.," with whom I had the pleasure of travelling on 

 board his steamer ' Pacific,^ I was allowed to go on shore and, 

 more than that, to make a trip into the interior. Pleasant 

 Island is quite different from all the low coral islands I had 

 previously seen, and, although throughout of coral formation, 

 is considerably elevated, reaching an altitude of about 100 to 

 120 feet. The island is surrounded by a reef, which appa- 

 rently is of the same formation as the island itself, and has 

 been elevated at the same time by submarine energy. It is 

 hilly, and shows some picturesque wall-like rocks, about 20 

 to 30 feet high, which, like all the rest of the island, consist 

 of coral. There is a rich vegetation, chiefly of cocoanut-trees, 

 intermingled with Pandanus and some other trees and scrub, 

 which gives the interior a garden-like appearance, quite dif- 

 ferent from that of the low islands. In the centre of the island 

 is a fresh- water lagoon, which I visited ; but I found it to be 

 merely a small lake, the water of which must have connexion 

 with the ocean, as it rises and falls with the tides. During 

 my short visit of only six hours I observed only five species 

 of birds, namely Calamoherpe syrinx, Strepsilas interpres, 

 Anous stolidus , Gygis alba, and Tachypetes aquilus (sive minor) . 

 I was surprised not to find Charadrius fulvus, Actitis incana, 

 or Ardea sacra, species which may be, as a rule, expected to 

 be met with in all the coral islands, and which I am convinced 

 must occur also on this small island. 



Among the small number of birds observed by me, Cala- 

 moherpe syrinx is, no doubt, the most interesting ; for I think 

 there can be scarcely any other locality where this little 



