OF THE GALAPAGOS AECHIPELAGO. 459 



head black. Whether they were the sexes of one species, or two distinct ones, I am 

 unable to decide. 



" The flora of Hood Island is very variegated. It was only on this island that I found 

 and collected the Ifomoea habeliana. 



"At daybreak of the 27th we started for Charles Island (Floriana); and although the 

 sloop left at midnight we overtook her by 10 A.M. We anchored about noon in the 

 Puerto de las Cuevas, where we remained until the 3rd of August. As it was impossible 

 to land without getting wet through by the surf, I only went on shore once, and then 

 collected nothing but a few plants. 



"The schooner having sailed with her cargo for Guayaquil, we started in the sloop on 

 the 3rd August, and reached that part of the island called Black Beach the next day 

 Our craft was in most miserable condition : not only did she leak, but her pump was 

 out of order, and she had to be baled out ; the rudder, too, only hung by its lower 

 hinge, a rope taking the place of the upper one. At Black Beach we took in some 

 fresh meat, which a man, living on the island with a woman and another man, his 

 assistant, supplied by shooting some of the wild cattle and swine. One day I visited 

 the upper part of the island, where the penal colony which came to such a deplorable 

 end formerly existed. After taking on board most of the labourers who had come 

 from Hood Island from want of food, we left Charles Island on the 12th of August and 

 sailed for Indefatigable, and anchored on the evening of 15th in the Puerto de la 

 Aguada. After being fairly established I commenced to make my collection of birds. 



"The most noticeable birds of this island which I did not collect were two species of 

 Swallows. One, a large kind, kept to the perpendicular rocks which lined the estuary, 

 and did not fly inland ' ; the other, smaller, flew about the island, but too rapidly to be 

 shot by me. I also observed a Bat, but was not fortunate enough to secure one. 



"We left our anchorage on September 4th, and sailed east by north to another 

 landing-place, which promised to yield ' orchilla ' in greater abundance, as a branch 

 of a tree brought from there was literally covered with it. On the 18th September we 

 left again, keeping the same course, and encamped on that part of the island known as 

 Puerto Garrapatero. It was here that I obtained the only specimen of Geosjnza strenua 

 I saw on Indefatigable. It is a little smaller than those obtained on Bindloe and 

 Abingdon. It was also in this island that I saw four birds, about the size of Storks, 

 pass high over head. Their wings were of a rosy colour, the breast white, and the 

 body white and cream-coloured. The men collecting the ' orchilla ' called them 

 Flamingoes ^ saying that they frequented the higher portions of Indefatigable and 

 Charles Islands. 



"We remained in this port till October 8th, and then passed on to another landing- 

 place till October 20th, and from there moved to the part of the island called Puerto 

 de las Platanas. 



' Probably Progne eoncolor. ' Phcenicopterus ruber. 



