10 



SOME NOTES ON LAND-BIRDS 



brown coloured swimming crab. Flying fish in plenty mostly 

 small ones. Three birds which I thought to be petrel, a 

 light brown colour, a little white in each wing when flying. 

 A few immature gannet ; and of insects one dragon fly. 



May 28th.— Lat. 15-11' N., Long. 109-25' E. Calm and 

 very fine clear weather. A few gannet occasionally, generally 

 all brown — and might be immature. Plenty of gulf weed 

 here, a fact I neglected to notice last trip. On one bunch 

 of weed I saw a small turtle about 18 inches long, this was 

 having a rest but scuttled off in a hurry as the ship passed 

 too close, but he did not go far and I could see him waiting 

 just below the surface. Plankton of a light straw colour, 

 somewhat like sawdust, abundant, as were also medusae. 

 Saw one petrel, sooty black, straight tail. Flying fish 

 scarce all day. 



May 29th.— 7.40 a.m. off Davaich Head. A few 

 gannet seen, immature I think. Also saw a bird about the 

 size of a pigeon with similiar flight, flying in from sea to 

 the land, then distant three miles; general colour brown, 

 wings I may say were short and rounded in form. Off Cape 

 Padaran there were plenty of terns. Gulf weed occasionally 

 since daylight. 



June 4th. — Saigon to Hongkong. Light S.W. monsoon 

 and fine weather. At entrance to the Saigon river — Cape 

 St. James, when dropping the Pilot — a small school of 

 dolphin, general colour a light grey, none of a darker colour, 

 nor had they any special markings, only, an occasional one 

 much lighter in hue was seen. Approaching the Britto 

 Shoal saw a land-bird, colour a light buff brown, a short 

 neck with whitish ring round, wings short and rounded, tail 

 long, with a very rook-like flight. A few gannet chasing 

 shoals of flying fish. 



June 5th. — When passing Davaich Head (which was 

 distant 5 miles), various seeds and wrack washed from the 

 land, some gulf weed occasionally, and flying fish were 

 plentiful. Not a bird seen all day. At night passed through 

 large coloured patches caused by plankton, but this was not 

 phosphorescent. 



June 6th.— Kuloa Eai, N. 53°< W.— distant 20 miles. 

 Moderate S.E. winds and fine. Early this morning passed 

 through a few large patches of "whales food," the plankton 

 of last night probably. Some gulf weed seen. Towards 

 sunset four birds were seen. A pair of booby, possibly 

 (S leucogastra) the brown booby ; and a pair of small terns 

 or gulls — resembling in part the Kittiwake gull more than 

 anything else, but it was not close enough to distinguish the 

 colour of its bill or legs. 



