474 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1917. 



although hot, and a favourable breeze wafted us onwards in our course. Captain 

 Robert Day, who stood near me, on looking toward the south-west, ordered some 

 person to be sent to the top to watch the appearance of land. A young lad was 

 instantly seen ascending the rigging, and not many minutes after he had at- 

 tained his post, we heard from him the cry of " land." It was the low keys of 

 the Tortugas, toward which we had been steering. No change was made in the 

 course of the " Lady of the Green Mantle," who glided along as if aware of the 

 knowledge possessed by her commander. Now the light-house lantern appeared 

 like a bright gem glittering in the rays of the sun. Presently the masts and flags 

 of several wreckers showed us that they were anchored in the small but safe 

 harbour. We sailed on, and our active pilot, who was also the first lieutenant of 

 the Marion, pointed out to me a small island [Bird Key] which he said was at 

 this season the resort of thousands of birds, which he described by calling them 

 " Black and White Sea Swallows," and again another islet, [Bush Key] equally 

 well stocked with another kind of Sea Swallow, which he added were called 

 Noddies, because they frequently alighted on the yards of vessels at night, and 

 slept there. He assured me that both species were on their respective breeding- 

 grounds by millions, that the eggs of the first lay on the sand under bushes, at 

 intervals of about a foot, while the nests of the last were placed as thickly on 

 the bushes of their own chosen island. "Before we cast anchor," he added, 

 " you will see them rise in swarms like those of bees when disturbed in their 

 hive, and their cries will deafen you." 



You may easily imagine how anxious I was to realize the picture ; I expressed 

 a wish to be landed on the island ; but the kind officer replied, " My good Sir, 

 you will soon be tired of their incessant noise and numbers, and will enjoy the 

 procuring of Boobies much better." After various tacks, we made our v,"ay 

 through the curious and extremely dangerous channels leading to the small 

 harbour, where we anchored. As the chain grated the ear, I saw a cloud-like 

 mass arise over the " Bird Key " from which we were only a few hundred 

 yards distant; and in a few minutes the yawl was carrying myself and my 

 assistant ashore. On landing, I felt for a moment as if the birds would raise 

 me from the ground, so thick were they all round, and so quick the motion of 

 their wings. Their cries were indeed deafening, yet not more than half of 

 them took to wing on our arrival, those which rose being chiefly male birds, as 

 we afterwards ascertained. We ran across the naked beach, and as we entered 

 the thick cover before us, and spread in different directions, we might at every 

 step have caught a sitting bird, or one scrambling through the bushes to escape 

 from us. Some of the sailors, who had more than once been there before, had 

 provided themselves with sticks, with which they knocked down the birds as 

 they flew thick around and over them. In less than half an hour, more than 

 a hundred Terns lay dead in a heap, and a number of baskets were filled to the 

 brim with eggs. We then returned on board, and declined disturbing the rest 

 any more that night. My assistant, Mr. H. Ward, of London, skinned upward 

 of fifty specimens, aided by Captain Day's servant. The sailors told me that 

 the birds were excellent eating, but on this point I cannot say much in corrob- 

 oration of their opinion, although I can safely recommend the eggs, for I con- 

 sidered them delicious, in whatever way cooked, and during our stay at the 

 Tortugas we never passed a day without providing ourselves with a good 

 quantity of them. 



The next morning Mr. Ward told me that great numbers of the Terns left 

 their island at two o'clock, flew off towards the sea, and returned a little before 

 day, or about four o'clock. This I afterwards observed to be regularly the 

 case, unless there happened to blow a gale, a proof that this species sees as 

 well during the night as by day, when they also go to sea in search of food 



