42 LAND OA" AEDEN ISLAND. 



circumstances, I do not suppose the Kulkalega tribe 

 to consist of more than 100 souls. The women 

 whom we saw wore loose petticoats of leaves reach- 

 ing to below the knees. 



The ship worked up through the channel between 

 Bet and Sue Islands, and anchored for the night oiF 

 the eastern extreme of the reef running out from 

 the former. Four large canoes coming from the 

 northward passed over the reef at high water, going 

 towards Sue Island. 



Next day we passed Cocoa-nut Island on our 

 right, and Dove Island on our left, and anchored 

 near Arden Island, where we landed on the follow- 

 ing morning before dayHght with a seining party. 

 The place is scarcely more than a quarter of a mile 

 in length, low and sandy, covered with tall bushes 

 and a few clumps of trees (Pisonia grandis). We 

 saw traces — but none very recent— of ™its paid by 

 the natives, indicated by remains of fires, turtle 

 bones, a large pit dug as a well, and two old graves. 

 As usual a coral reef extends from the shore, with- 

 out leaving a clear spot of sufficient size to admit of 

 the seine being hauled. Species of Cissus and two 

 or three Capparidte constituted the bulk of the vege- 

 tation, and rendered the low scrub almost impervious 

 in many places. A number of Torres Strait pigeons, 

 chiefly young birds, and some stone-plovers and 

 other waders, were shot, and one rare bird was 

 obtained for the collection, a male of Pachycephala 

 melannra. Soon after our retui'n we g'ot under 



