738 Letters, Notes and Extracts. 



Iceland the Great Skua is not protected, being considered to 

 be a destructive and noxious bird, and that its eggs are 

 collected and eaten by the peasants in large quantities. 

 Mr. Bachmann's article on the birds of Iceland is most 

 interesting, but I wish that he had stated that he was not 

 an egg-collector, and disapproved of the wholesale plunder 

 of eggs, as I should then most certainly not have fallen 

 into the error of supposing him to have been in any way 

 connected with a dealer. 



I am, Sirs, yours &c, 



H. E. Dresser. 



28 Queensborougk Terrace, London, W., 

 15th August, 1906. 



The Alexander Trans-African Expedition. — Since our last 

 notice of the progress of this Expedition (see above, p. 615) 

 a letter has been received from Capt. Boyd Alexander, dated 

 "Bomakandi" (on the Welle), 20th April, 1906. He 

 writes : — " We are going on well, but have no startling news. 

 One day for us is much like another — an early start, a bad 

 river to struggle against, and two halts at different spots 

 for collecting. This is the last place where we are in touch 

 with the great Congo Forest, and the river now flows through 

 a very open country. We leave to-day for Dongu, which we 

 hope to reach in about a month's time. The boats are 

 beginning to suffer a bit. The continual shocks against 

 the rocks are making small splits in the steel ribs along the 

 bottom, which, however, have been effectually stopped by a 

 kind of wax-resin obtained from the natives. 



" Bomakandi is a fine station, and we have been hospitably 

 received by the Belgian officers. When we have reached 

 Dongu (which will be found marked in the ' Times Atlas/ 

 no. 206) we shall have passed up the whole length of this 

 rather terrifying river. It is very picturesque in places, 

 being studded with rocky islands covered with forest-growth." 



Another letter, dated "Niangara, on the Welle, .Tune 16th," 

 contains the sad news of the death of Capt. Gosling at that 

 place, on July 13th, leaving Capt. Alexander the sole surviving 



