368 Oil Birds from the West Coast of Africa. 



of the wall in the direction of the settlement, examining a few 

 more Reed Cormorants' nests ; the females Avere quite tame, 

 and I stroked one without its leaving its eggs. We next 

 passed the iron pier on our right, where the guano boats ai'e 

 loaded, and this is a very favourite perch for the White- 

 breasted Cormorants, which like to sit here and sun them- 

 selves. Having reached the houses, we had some refreshment 

 and a chat with the man in charge, who told me that they 

 ship nearly 2000 tons of guano per annum from this island, 

 and that thirty men are employed duiing the months of April 

 and May, when all the Gannets depart. There were two 

 large stacks of guano at the time of my visit ; each stack 

 contains about 800 tons, and its value is £6 10s. per ton. 

 All provisions, including water, are brought by steamer from 

 Capetown every three months. After the birds have been 

 away for two months they suddenly re-appear, in one 

 immense flight, Avhich is said to last only an hour. This 

 sight must be marvellous indeed. I noticed a small seal at 

 the settlement which had been washed up on the island and 

 stuffed; also a Wandering Albatross {Diomedea exidans) , which 

 had been caught on a ship some distance to the southward. 

 There were, in addition to the birds mentioned, the Southern 

 Black-backed Gull and Hartlaub's Gull. The former does 

 a great deal of damage by eating the eggs and young birds ; 

 but the parents seem to shew very little resentment at this 

 behaviour. A few small waders and grey-coloured ducks 

 were also seen, but not close enough to determine the 

 species. Flamingos occur occasionally, but are commoner 

 on the German mainland, where there is said to be a fine of 

 jgl5 for shooting them. The White-breasted Cormorants 

 are quite rare at Ichabo, but I hear that on a small island, 

 a mile and a half south, in Hottentot Bay, they are common, 

 and that there are as many as five hundred nests there. 

 Having bid adieu to the guano-men, and got our specimens 

 into the boat, we left at 4.30 p.m. for the ship. As the 

 sun sank behind the island, the sight of the few lonely 

 tombstones appearing against the horizon, amidst the never 

 ceasing stream of bird-life, was a sight weird in the extreme, 

 and one which left a lasting impression. 



