Contributions to tjie (Bx'nitfeolorjir of gnM<r. 



The Islands of the Bay of Bengal. 



I. — Physical Aspects. 



In pursuance of the general scheme which I had sketched 

 out some years ago, for working out gradually the ornithology 

 of the outlying, and comparatively imperfectly explored, pro- 

 vinces and dependencies of the Indian Empire, the Andamans, 

 Nicohars, and other islands of the Bay of Bengal, came last 

 cold season under review. 



Through the liberality of the British India Steam Navigation 

 Company, a fine steamer, the Scotia, was placed at my disposal 

 on very favorable terms for a month's cruise amongst these 

 islands ; several extra boats and boats' crews were added to the 

 vessel's usual complement, and every possible arrangement, 

 in the way of stores, ice, and the like, made for the comfort of 

 our party. 



Anxious to make the most of an opportunity, such as had 

 never occurred before (indeed we visited islands on which 

 no European had ever previously landed ), and which might not 

 again occur for many years, I asked Dr. Stoliczka and Mr. 

 Ball of the Geological Survey, and Mr. Wood-Mason of the 

 Indian Museum, to accompany me, and with these and some 

 others (including the officers of the ship) who, though not 

 naturalists or ornithologists, were perfectly ready to shoot every- 

 thing they saw, and collect everything they came across from 

 a sea-slug to an Andamanese skull, we constituted, supported 

 by a pretty strong staff of taxidermists, a very tolerably effi- 

 cient exploring party. We were able usually, to turn out eight 

 guns daily, whenever we touched land, which, by steaming at 

 night and laying to at different islands during the day, we 

 managed to do on about 20 out of the 30 days we were away. 



Before giving any account of the details of our trip, it 

 would be perhaps simplest, and will save repetition, to give a 

 short sketch of the general physical characters of the islands. 



