observed at the Salvage Islands. 43 



it were as nothing, for it soaked through the whole lot of 

 plants before reaching England. This was a great disap- 

 pointment, for Mr. Baring had taken special trouble with 

 this part of the collection, and a good many of the plants, 

 which were nearly all in flower, when unpacked were in such 

 a mouldy condition that they could only be thrown away. 

 For this reason I have been unable to identify Avith certainty 

 the asparagus {Asparagus scoparius?), which, together with 

 the wild tomato {Ly coper sicum esculentum), was by far the 

 largest and most conspicuous plant on Great Salvage. 

 Lastly we brought away specimens of the various rocks and 

 volcanic sands covering parts of the top of Great Salvage, 

 and these are now being examined by Dr. Gregory of the 

 Natural History jMuseum. We were fortunate in securing 

 the services of Mr. H. Gronvold, an excellent taxidermist 

 employed by the British Museum, and it was largely due to 

 his skill that our collection of skins and skeletons arrived in 

 such fine condition. 



-/-I. Cerchneis tinnunculus. 



There were several pairs of Kestrels both at Great Salvage 

 and Great Piton, and we shot one, a female, on the former 

 island as a specimen. It was rather a light-coloured bird, 

 but otherwise quite similar to British examples. We never 

 actually found a nest, nor did we take much trouble to do 

 so, but with the aid of a glass made out the cavity in the face 

 of the volcanic cliff where a pair were evidently breeding. 

 As, however, it would have been impossible to get down to 

 the spot without a rope, we did not attempt to meddle with 

 them. One or two birds Avere generally to be seen on the 

 wing, hovering over the ice-plant and. asparagus bushes, 

 amongst which dwelt colonics of mice and many rabbits. 

 The mouse is, according to Mr. Oldfield Thomas, the same 

 species as that found in North Africa and allied to our 

 house-mouse, but easily distinguished by its larger size, 

 browner back, and white underparts. 



2. Palco subbuteo. 



One morning, on reaching the summit of some rocks, we 



