250 Letters, Announcements, &c. 
of the bird in that district is “‘ Ponto Kalong.” The collector 
notes the iris to be brown, the feet greyish black. 
Yours &c., 
A. B. Meyer. 
The Socotran Expedition.—Colonel Godwin-Austen not 
having been able to undertake the expedition to Socotra this 
spring, the Committee of the British Association have ar- 
ranged with Professor Isaac B. Balfour, of the University of 
Glasgow, to proceed there to investigate the zoology and 
botany of the island, and to make collections. Professor Bal- 
four left England in January last by the French mail for 
Aden, and arrived’ there on the 24th of that month. Here 
Capt. Heron, of H.M.S. ‘Sea-Gull,’ having received instruc- 
tions from the Admiralty to assist Professor Balfour, offered 
to take him on to Socotra, and was ready to start on the 2nd 
February. Unfortunately a gale sprang up, and detained 
them until the 5th, when they started, but were compelled to 
return again, to wait until the wind abated. Ultimately 
Prof. Balfour and his assistants were safely landed in Goul- 
burn Bay, at the west end of Socotra, on Feb. 11, weather 
not permitting the vessel to go round to the principal port, 
Tamarida. Prof. Balfour had formed pretty high expecta- 
tions of the island from what he had heard, but these were 
greatly exceeded by the reality. The flora was found to be 
rich and varied; and 150 species of plants, some of great 
interest, were obtained in a few days. Birds were nu- 
merous, as also reptiles and insects. There was plenty of 
water, and some splendid Dytisci. The geology was very 
perplexing—granite, limestone, and dioritic rocks being 
mixed up in an extraordinary manner. Prof. Balfour 
has as a companion an officer of the 6th Royals, who 
can sketch and take surveys, and, besides his collector 
from the Glasgow Botanic Gardens, has with him several 
natives and an interpreter from Aden. We trust that the 
Professor, who will return in April, will bring back a good 
series of the birds of Socotra, including the “ Emeu” of Lieut. 
Wellsted. 
