SOME NOTES ON LAND-BIRDS 17 



June 7th.— Lat. 19-00* N., Long. 111-59' E. A moderate 

 S.W. monsoon and fine weather. A few ocean birds seen; 

 general colour sooty black, but they kept a great way off 

 and I am not able to guess what they were. A few booby 

 present as yesterday. Since sailing from Saigon there has 

 been a cricket in my room, this starts calling at night and 

 maintains the noise without a rest until daylight. I have 

 got accustomed to him now. 



June 16th. — Hongkong to Saigon. Calm and fine clear 

 weather. Passing though the Islands to Gap Rock not a 

 bird was to be seen, only an occasional flying fish. After 

 we had passed the Bock plenty of ''whales food" of a light 

 straw colour, in long streaky patches. The general direction 

 of which was east and west. 



June 17th.— Lat. 19-23' N., Long. 112-14' E. Moderate 

 S. E. winds and showery. A dove (colour reddish brown) 

 flew past this morning. Flying fish plentiful and plankton 

 seen occasionally. Later, found the dove sitting on the stoke 

 hole ventilator. A good view of which shows the neck and 

 head plumbeous grey, sharply separated from the colour of 

 the back by a black collar round the hind neck. Back wings 

 and breast of a uniform rufous brown, tail rump and pri- 

 maries blackish, under tail and vent dirty white. Bill and 

 legs black. Possibly the red turtle dove (T tranguebaricus). 

 Several booby, all fully matured birds, seen chasing shoals 

 of flying fish these remaining in sight until dark. 



June 18th.— Lat. 16-38' N., Long. 110-10' E. A 

 moderate S.W. monsoon and very fine weather. At sunrise 

 more booby seen. Head, back and upper parts of wings 

 and tail, and under parts of primaries, sooty brown; belly, 

 vent and under parts of tail, white; bill yellow, legs not seen, 

 tail cuneate — possibly the brown booby (S leucogastra). 

 These birds were following the shoals of flying fish, though 

 these last were but seldom seen. At noon Lat. 16-06' N., 

 Long. 109-58' E. Very many terns here. Appears larger 

 than the common tern. Black cap, back and upper part of 

 wings French grey, white margins to wings but tips black; 

 neck, under parts of wings and tail, white; bill yellow; legs 

 not seen; tail forked. A dove similiar to that seen yester- 

 day came on board but soon flew away. This afternoon a 

 school of dolphin, which may be the Indian bottle nosed 

 dolphin, these played around the ship for an hour or longer 

 and afforded the Chinese some amusement. The tern have 

 remained throughout the day. I often heard their harsh cry 

 and now and again one would drop like a shot into the sea, 

 seldom coming up without something in its bill. 

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