and its Bird-Islands. 83 



Bank-Duiker can be at once distinguished from the Trek- 

 Duiker by its greater size and by the absence of all trace 

 of yellow at the gape, the skin in this region being dark 

 like the rest of the plumage. In the older birds a patch of 

 white, more or less developed, appears on the rump, and 

 is often conspicuous when the bird is flying. The Bank- 

 Duiker feeds chiefly on crayfish (Palinurus) and Hottentot 

 fish (Cantharus blochi), which are found about parts of the 

 sea-bottom where there arc rocks overgrown with seaweed ; 

 and by watching the places to which the Bank-Duikers 

 resort for fishing in the early morning, fishermen are able 

 to discover the best fishing-banks. It is from this fact that 

 the Bank-Duiker derives its name. 



The nest of this Duiker is quite different from that of the 

 Trek-Duiker; it is formed entirely of algae, polyzoa, and 

 hydroids, matted together into a flat cushion which is placed 

 on the smooth top of a rock near the sea. The eggs 

 resemble those of the Trek-Duiker in structure and colour, 

 but are somewhat larger, averaging 65 X 40 mm. (about 

 2^ X If inches) . The Bank-Duiker is extraordinarily fearless, 

 and will remain on its nest until the intruder is within a foot 

 or two of it ; in fact, it is not difficult to catch it by hand 

 and thus secure specimens. In addition to the Duikers, 

 there were still some Penguins on the island, and a few fresh 

 eggs of these birds were secured. The breeding-season for 

 the Penguins begins in May, but the eggs are collected all 

 through May, June, and July, and the birds go on laying 

 till August, when they are allowed to hatch out their eggs 

 and go off to sea again. A few, however, can be found 

 nesting during every month of the year. 



Leaving Jutten Island we sailed across the mouth of the 

 bay to Malagas Island, leaving that of Marcus on our right. 

 This island lies just in the mouth of the bay, and is com- 

 paratively small, having produced last year, according to 

 the Government returns, only 88 tons of guano against 378 

 collected from Jutten and 688 from Malagas. Marcus 

 affords a breeding-ground chiefly for Trek-Duikers and, 

 of course, Penguins, while I was told by my boatman, 



g2 



