observed during the Voy age of the 'Valhalla.' 701 



golden yellow and the quills broadly so ; the under-parts are 

 greenish grey. In my examples the blue adult feathers of 

 the back and the grey neck plume-like feathers are appearing 

 in a scattered manner. Ridgvvay, on the birds collected by 

 Abbott, says of this species: "Similar or identical with 

 that of Madagascar"; but the Madagascar bird is totally 

 different in colour, being vinous red. Mr. Ridgway evidently 

 means, with that of the Comoros, A. sganzini. A. minor, 

 however, is decidedly smaller, but in other respects does not 

 seem to differ from A. sganzini. 



In the same paper we read, " They are extremely tame and 

 stupid and can almost be caught in the hand" (Abbott, MS.). 

 Probably Abbott was at Aldabra when this bird was not 

 nesting, or rather when it had not got young, as I found it 

 impossible to get any adults except by sitting very quietly 

 under the above-mentioned trees. 



Turtur aldabranus Sclater. 



Turtur aldabranus Salvadori, Cat. B. B. M. xxi. p. 411. 



Turtur aldabranus Ridgway, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. xviii. 

 p. 532. 



One adult male and one immature female. 



I saw very few of these Doves on Aldabra, though pos- 

 sibly they are more abundant on parts of the island which 

 I did not visit. Their habits are similar to those of 

 T. assumptions. 



Tinnunculus newtoni Gurney. 



Cerchneis newtoni Sharpe, Cat. B. B. M. vol. i. p. 433. 



Tinnunculus newtoni Ridgway, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. xviii. 

 p. 533. 



Falco newtoni Nicoll, Bull. B. 0. C. xvi. p. 106. 



One immature female. Iris yellow ; tarsi and toes yellow, 

 claws black. 



This little Kestrel is by no means common on Aldabra, 

 I saw two or three near the Settlement in some Casuarina- 

 trees and two more near the Ibis colony. The only example 

 obtained is unfortunately a young bird, and had a yellow iris, 

 which is unusual for a Kestrel : but, apart from this, I think 



