The Zoologist— May, 1874. 3991 



Thus classification or the just approximation of like to like has 

 become a dead letter. 



Edward Newman. 



A Visit to the Breeding Haunts of the Frigate Bird. 

 By Gervase F. Mathew, Esq., R.N., F.L.S. 



On the 26th of February, at 4 p. M., we left Panama under sail 

 for the island of Taboga, and arrived and anchored off the village 

 a iew minutes before six the same evening. On our cruise we 

 passed close to the island of Taboguilla, which is situated about 

 two miles to the eastward of Taboga, and over a wooded point to 

 the extreme westward of this island I noticed numbers of frigate- 

 birds hovering and wheeling above the trees. On this occasion 

 I paid little attention to them, as I scarcely imagined that at this 

 time of the year they would be breeding ; but as day after day, and 

 at all hours, they were constantly to be seen in great numbers flying 

 over the same locality, I came to the conclusion that they were 

 either breeding or else had some other strong attraction to induce 

 them to frequent that particular point of the island so con- 

 tinuously, and I therefore determined to pay them a visit as soon 

 as possible. 



On the afternoon of the 4th instant, accordingly, one of my 

 brother officers having volunteered to accompany me, we sailed 

 over to Taboguilla to investigate the quarters of these singular 

 birds. On arriving at the west end of the island, — where there were 

 a few irregular and rather lofty rocks, thickly overgrown by a species 

 of evergreen shrub possessing sub-ovate and dark green shining 

 leaves, something like those of the mangrove, — frigate-birds were 

 observed flying, or rather wheeling, in vast numbers above the 

 bushes, and on the bushes themselves the birds were assembled in 

 multitudes. These rocks were detached from the main island, and 

 to land on one of them was anything but an easy task to accom- 

 plish, on account of its rugged and precipitous sides, besides which 

 a strong tide which ran between us and the mainland of Taboquilla 

 prevented us from mooring our boat without considerable difficulty 

 and danger. However, at last we found a safe place where we 

 were able to secure our boat, and from whence we managed to 

 scramble up the face of the cliff" to the bushes above. It was terribly 

 hot work, and a tropical sun pitilessly scorched us as we ascended, 



