Reptiles. 579 



Note on the Cape Pigeon. Few persons can have taken a long voyage to the south- 

 ward, without admiring and being interested in these beautiful birds. Their elegant 

 speckled breast and most graceful form, as they float or rather dance over the huge 

 waves, must have attracted the attention of even the most indifferent observer ; but 

 the passenger across that wide and dreary expanse from New Zealand to Cape Horn, 

 regards them as companions or associates, for they never fail to afford him both inte- 

 rest and amusement, either circling around in flight, or pirouetting on the water, then 

 chattering in their gentle squabbles over a dainty bit. The wildest storm only brings 

 them closer to the ship, and even before its commencement, they gather into one large 

 flock, which is to the seaman what a rapid fall of the mercury is to the navigator, an 

 indication of an approaching gale. Usually they form little interesting groups vary- 

 ing from five to twenty in number, closely watching every particle that may be thrown 

 overboard ; and often, when just arranged round some sheep's offal, have I, with boil- 

 ing indignation, seen that great monopoliser, the albatross, at one pounce deprive our 

 favourites of their humble meal ; but in other places, far distant from the Southern 

 Ocean, the weak have to give place to the strong, and not unfrequently the dinner like- 

 wise. Assuming this evil to be irremediable, I proceed to enquire how far the same 

 group will follow a vessel. It is impossible to mark, by difference in spots or colour, 

 any particular individual of a flock, so regular and uniform has Nature been in adorn- 

 ing them ; indeed, there can be no ground for jealousy in regard to beauty, for all 

 have been alike favoured. On my passage home from Australia last year, our friends 

 visited us before we reached New Zealand, though we had not a full attendance until 

 the 9th of August, the ship then passing the " Three Kings," at the northern extremi- 

 ty of that colony, and continued till the 20th of October, on which day, in lat. 24° 15' 

 S. long. 23° 42' W., we saw the first ship after our departure from Sydney. The pi- 

 geons availed themselves of this favourable opportunity of returning to the southward, 

 for on the morrow we had not one remaining. During this interval the vessel had 

 sailed 7900 miles, a distance nearly equal to one third of the earth's circumference. 

 Although the proof of this being but one flock is imperfect, yet the fact of one of the 

 birds being caught and marked with a ribbon, at least 1000 miles before we rounded 

 Cape Horn, and being seen occasionally with his pennant, as it " fluttered in the 

 breeze," during the remainder of their journey over 3800 miles, justifies the conclusion 

 that we had been followed by one party the whole way. Two causes may be assigned 

 for this unusual circumstance ; first, that there was no attraction by other ships, and 

 secondly, the birds were never disturbed by the cruel practice of shooting at them for 

 mere amusement. — Henry F. Cliffe ; Elm Cottage, Brixton Hill. 



Note on the Food of the Tadpole of the common Frog. On examining my journal 

 for the past year, I see that on the 29th of last April I noticed the tadpole of the com- 

 mon frog feeding on the common white slug. This is a fact altogether new to me, and 

 if you think it worthy of public notice, have the kindness to insert it in * The Zoolo- 

 gist.' I should be pleased if some of your correspondents would make an experiment 

 of this kind (which I intend doing this spring), and report progress in 'The Zoologist.' 

 F. A. Chennell ; Stoke Guildford, February 3, 1844. 



