Birds from the West Coast of Africa. 265 



guano men's houses at tlie north end of the island, and this 

 is kept clear by a dog. The accompanying plan (text-fig. 3), 

 which Captain Hardy kindly prepared, gives an excellent 

 idea of this bird resort. 



No sooner had we anchored than the headman and some 

 others came off in a surf-boat to inquire what we wanted. I 

 handed over my permit, and it seemed to cause some 

 surprise, as these valuable guano deposits are never allowed, 

 under any circumstances, to be disturbed. I explained 

 that I wanted a good number of each species. After 

 luncheon, Captain Hardy and I were rowed ashore in the 

 boat belonging to the island. As we neared the lauding 

 the whole population, consisting of a few men, five dark 

 women and some children, came to meet us. We awaited 

 the incoming breaker, which shot us right upon the shelly 

 shore, then, jumping quickly out in order to avoid being 

 soaked by a second breaker, and taking the basket and boxes 

 for eggs, we left the men and women to haul the boat up well 

 out of the reach of the w^ater, in which task it was amusing 

 to watch the tiny children trying to assist. The headman 

 now joined us, and after a hasty inspection of the dwellings 

 arid a look at the liv^estock, consisting of pigs, poultry, cats, 

 and a very fine dog, we proceeded to examine the most 

 marvellous preserve of nesting birds I had ever seen. To 

 the north-east the island is rocky, and here were to be seen 

 plenty of scattered Cormorants ; but we were now to enter 

 the huge gathering of Gannets, or Malagas as they are 

 called. I first secured eggs and then bagged a fine niale, 

 which I put into the basket. The birds, which were quite 

 tame and very handsome, sat, or stood, as closely packed as 

 possible. They appear to make no nest, and the single egg, 

 white in colour, though generally very dirty, is laid in a 

 slight depression of the guano and feathers, with which the 

 island is covered, and, even with the utmost care, it was not 

 possible to avoid treading on occasional eggs. As we waded 

 along through this living mass the birds tried to make room 

 for us by fluttering on the top of one another, raising a 

 most disagreeable dust which settled all over us. What 



