Elizabeth Island. 39 



some horses, which were required . for the working of the island. 

 As we steamed round its eastern end, myriads of terns rose in a 

 cloud from the low sandy pits, where they had their breeding' place. 



After getting out the horses, and letting them swim on shore, 

 we dropped our anchor, and soon afterwards many of us landed 

 to explore. It was the breeding time of the upland geese, and 

 the birds were consequently very tame, and afforded little sport 

 in shooting. Along the beach below the cliffs a variety of birds 

 were to be seen, including oyster-catchers, steamer-ducks, and a 

 species of Cinclodes. As I walked by the foot of the cliffs, a 

 steamer-duck would occasionally rush out from its retreat, and 

 make for the water, cackling vigorously as it waddled over the 

 shingle. As these birds steamed out seaward, they seemed un- 

 doubtedly to flap their wings in unison ; but there was a sort of 

 wabble in their swimming motion, arising probably from the 

 alternate paddling of the feet On the heights above, I shot 

 several military starlings, and others of our party obtained some 

 brown ducks (Anas cristatd} and snipe. 



The cliff was apparently breaking away in many places, 

 exposing fresh sections of its face, and exhibiting pebbles, 

 rounded stones, and rocks imbedded in the clayey mass, a 

 feature which is characteristic of this part of the coast, Lines 

 of stratification, of varying degrees of fineness, were to be seen ; and 

 in several places, at about fifty feet from the summit of the cliff, 

 streams of water oozed out from the seams. I could detect no trace 

 of a fossil. Along the beach lay many dead shells of the genera 

 Voluta, Area, Patella, Mytilus, and Trophon. During this walk 

 I noticed about six different species of butterflies and a few 

 beetles. 



The dredge had been laid out from the ship on anchoring, so 

 that it might profit by the swinging of the ship ; and when we 

 hauled it up in the evening, it contained a quantity of dead 

 barnacles covered with ophiurids, and also shells of the genera 

 Trochus and Trophon, Amphipod Crustaceans, Annelids, and 



