BIRDS. 341 



numbers, congregated together in spots called rookeries by 

 our voyagers. The eggs are much esteemed. 



The pelican (P. Onocrotalvs, Linn.), common alike to 

 Asia and the eastern countries of Europe, is also found in 

 Africa, where it has been observed both in Egypt and tho 

 Cape of Good Hope. 



Of the singular genus called plotus or darter, Le Vaillant 

 made us acquainted with a species from Senegal and the 

 Cape. It was also found in the interior of the country by 

 Major Denham. 



The elegant and long-winged terns or sea-swallows may 

 be enumerated among the African tribes. The slender- 

 billed tern {Sterna tenuirostris, Temm.) is found upon the 

 western coasts, and the white tern {S. Candida, Gmelin) 

 inhabits the Cape of Good Hope. 



The buoyant and pearly-plumaged gulls, though more 

 characteristic of the northern regions, are occasionally seen 

 along the African shores. We are not, however, acquainted 

 with any species peculiar to this continent. 



The genus albatross (Diomedea) probably contains the 

 largest and longest winged of all the aquatic species. The 

 wandering albatross (Z). exulans) is equal in size to a swan, 

 and its wings extend about ten feet. This bird is princi- 

 pally met with in the seas adjacent to the Cape of Good 

 Hope. 



The Cape petrel (Procellaria Capensis), as its title implies, 

 occurs also near the last-named locality. It is common in 

 the southern seas, but more especially in the vicinity of the 

 Cape, where it flies in immense flocks. It is extremely 

 voracious, and feeds on fish and the dead carcasses of whales. 

 When caught, it squirts a quantity of oil from its nostrils. 



The spur-winged goose (Plectropterus Gambensis) is a 

 singular species inhabiting Gambia and other parts of Af- 

 rica. The anterior angles of its wings are armed with 

 sharp projecting spines. 



The mountain goose {Anser montana) is a large species, 

 with the wing feathers, and those of the head, of a bright 

 shining reddish green. According to Latham, it inhabits 

 the Cape of Good Hope, where it keeps mostly on the hills, 

 and feeds on grass and herbs. 



Among the larger of the web-footed tribes we must not 

 omit to mention the Egyptian goose {Chenalovex Egyvtia^a, 

 Ff 2 



