from the Ethiopian Region. 287 



the " fair : " at length, on turning shghtly to the left and sur- 

 mounting a low ridge, the whole scene was disclosed. 



A gradual incline of a quarter of a mile terminated in a plain 

 of ten or fifteen acres in extent, which was literally covered with 

 the birds. The plain was surrounded by low mountains, except 

 on the side on which we stood ; and being entirely sheltered from 

 the wind, its heat under the full blaze of a tropical sun was very 

 oppressive. No description can give an adequate idea of the 

 effect produced by the thousands upon thousands of these wild 

 sea-birds floating and screaming over this arid cinder-bed, the 

 eggs and young scattered so thickly on the ground that in some 

 instances it was impossible to avoid crushing them, and the 

 bleached bones of dead birds distributed in all directions. 

 During our short walk down the incline, large flocks of parent 

 birds hovered over our heads, and assailed us with plaintive 

 cries, regardless of our sticks, with which we might have killed 

 any number of them ; but their beautifully pure dark and white 

 plumage and graceful motions caused it to appear almost a sin 

 to knock any of them down. On arriving within the precincts 

 of the breeding-grounds their numbers increased ; large flocks 

 were arriving in endless succession from seaward ; clouds of birds 

 rose from the ground, and, joining those already attending us, 

 their wheelings and gyrations almost made us giddy. I sat 

 down on a lump of cinder, and the society, being at length con- 

 vinced that my policy was not aggressive, went on with the or- 

 dinary routine of incubation. 



There were young of all sizes, from the little callow ones just 

 hatched to the nearly fledged birds that fluttered and crawled 

 like young pigeons ; there were also lots of eggs exposed on the 

 bare ground ; but in most instances the old bird sat on its 

 solitary treasure, hissing defiance as I approached, and fighting 

 manfully if I attempted to remove it. The young are of a very 

 light sooty colour both above and beneath, the ends of most of 

 the feathers having a white spot the size of a pea, which gives 

 them a speckled appearance. The whole of the " fair," both in 

 smell and in appearance, reminds one of the effect produced by 

 a sudden entry into a large pigeon-house. 



In the interstices of the scoriae and lava round this nursery 



X 2 



