452 ME. 0. SALVIN ON THE AVIFAUNA 



soup. He then cruised about for some days, catching several Sperm Whales. Whilst 

 cruising round the south point of James Island he mentions seeing great numbers of 

 Penguins (p. 156). "There were also," he adds, "small birds with red breasts, and 

 others resembling the Java Sparrow in shape and size, but of a black plumage ; the 

 male was darkest, and had a very delightful note." Tlie ' Rattler ' finally left the 

 Galapagos on 16th May, 1794. 



The next account we have is by Captain Amasa Delano, who visited the Galapagos 

 in 1801, and in the account of his voyages devotes a chapter to the description of the 

 islands. In this he adds considerably to the information concerning them given by 

 Colnett ; and his account is interesting in many particulars. Allusions are frequently 

 made to the birds. He speaks of a small kind of Albatross on James Island (probably 

 (Estrelata phceopyga) which he describes as not laying its eggs in " rookeries," but to be 

 found sitting and liatching on the burnt stony ground. He also mentions on the same 

 islands Pelicans laying their eggs in nests built in trees, Flamingos, Gulls, Teals, Rooks 

 (what rhese can be I know not), a small kind of Heron, and two or three kinds of 

 Sparrows. The habits of several of these species are fully described, as well as the 

 method of killing Turtle Doves with sticks. An account is also given of an eruption 

 of one of the volcanos of Albemarle seen during a former visit on 21st August, ISOO; 

 and he mentions another eruption as having taken place in 1797. 



By this time the Sperm-Whale fishery seems to have become so much developed in 

 the seas surrounding the Galapagos Islands that they were chosen as a rendezvous by 

 Captain David Porter, of the U.S. Frigate 'Essex,' during the war between England 

 and America in 1812-13. Here he lay in wait for the English whalers as they came 

 to water their vessels and to catch tortoises, fresh food being very necessary for the 

 maintenance of the health of their crews. The ' Essex ' remained cruising about the 

 islands, with one interval, when she visited the mainland, from 17th May to 2nd 

 October, 1813. 



Captain Basil Hall, in H.M.S. 'Conway,' in 1822 spent several days on Abingdon 

 Island, when he was engaged measuring the length of a pendulum to beat seconds 

 under the equator. In his journal he briefly describes the volcanic features of this 

 island, but makes no allusion to the birds. 



Lord Byron, in H.M.S. ' Blonde,' on his outward voyage to the Sandwich Islands in 

 1825, anchored in Tagus Cove. A short account of the visit is published in the 

 ' Voyage of the ' Blonde.' ' He speaks of the number of the aquatic birds, and the 

 tameness of the small birds, which hopped upon their feet. During the few days the 

 vessel remained in Banks's Bay one of the volcanos of Albemarle was in eruption. 

 An inefl'ectual attempt was made to land on Abingdon Island to search for tortoises ; 

 but the current prevented this being accomplished, and the vessel bore away for the 

 Sandwich Islands. 



In the same year Captain Morrell also visited the same island, and, in the narrative 



