MODERN FAUNA OF THK MASCARENE ISLANDS. 351 



of at least one hundred. ... I shot two pair, and had them 



skinned 



"Soon after I came upon a small flock o? Perruches. This was 

 to all appearance identical with the Madagascar species, Agapornis 

 cana, and as the bird is said to have been introduced into llod- 

 riguez, I have no doubt it is so. 



" Going on to a hill where the negro said there were wild Guinea- 

 fowl, I heard a melodious whistle. On my asking the Creole 

 what the bird was, he said, ' Ca meme zozo du pays avec le bee 

 et le queue long-long.' I killed a specimen which I have little doubt 

 is a new species {Drynueca rodericana). If my supposition (that 

 it is one of the Drynifecina) is right, it will be satisfactory as 

 aff"ording another proof of the connection between the Mascarene 

 Islands and India ; and this will be the case should Rodriguez, 

 the easternmost of them, be found to possess an Indian form which 



the more western members are without 



" I saw, as I think, a Curlew [Numenius arquatus), and I had a 

 shot at a Turnstone (Stre2)silas inter}:) res.) 



" On the 2nd November we went inside the reef to the cave on 

 the south-west side of the island. Towards daylight we passed 

 bv some islets, from one of which proceeded a clamour like that 

 of a distant crowd — produced, we were told, by the Fouquets 

 (Ptifimis chlororynrhus) ; and as the day dawned, I saw several 

 Shearwaters. . . . From another islet harsher sounds were heard, 

 and these were fi"om the Boobies [Sulci 2iiscator), just waking up. 

 I could see them sitting on the low bushes, while others were 

 starting off for their day's fishing. . . . 



" About six o'clock we landed, and at once walked up to the first 

 cave, about a quarter of a mile inland. This part of the island 

 appears to be quite flat, and one mass of rock. The cave was 

 much the same as all other caves — plenty of stalactites and 

 stalagmites ; the width about fifty feet, the height from twenty 

 to seventy feet, the floor nearly flat, and generally covered with 

 a fine deep sand, perfectly dry. Near the entrance were a few 

 crumbling pieces of land-tortoise shells, which fell to jDieces on 

 being picked up. . . We then sailed back some three miles, and : — 

 " About eleven o'clock we started for another cave. We went 



