"20 SOME NOTES ON LAND-BIRDS 



July 16th.— Lat. 22-52' N., Long. 117-40' E. Light 

 N.W. airs and very fine. Very few flying fish seen to-day. 

 Passed several shoals of other species of fish close to the 

 surface. Plankton, the colour and appearance of paddy in 

 long streakes met with as we get into soundings. A strong 

 smell of ozone present. Saw a pair of small whale this 

 afternoon. Towards sunset flying fish became more 

 numerous. 



July 17th. — Passing 6 miles off Turnabout Island. 

 Light southerly airs and very fine. At daylight a brown 

 petrel seen, but this does not approach closely nor follow 

 the ship, so I could not get a distinct view of it nor note 

 it more in detail. Later quite a number of sooty brown or 

 blackish petrel, tail slightly forked. A smaller bird than that 

 seen earlier in the day. All of these followed in the ship's 

 wake. I think it is probable that they are Swinhoe's petrel. 

 Of course the sun playing on the wings of birds causes a 

 different shade, so that at one time, one bird will seen to be 

 quite black and another bird close by will look sooty brown. 

 So that on the wing they are difficult to identify. This flock 

 of petrel remained with us until nightfall. 



July 18th. — 10 miles to the East of Hieshan Island. 

 Light airs and very fine clear weather. Plankton and 

 Medusae were plentiful to-day, the former in long streaky 

 patches, colour and form somewhat like paddy. One dragon 

 fly came off. No flying fish seen. This afternoon when 

 passing to the eastward of Kueshan Islands gulls (L canus) 

 were seen for the first time this trip, these followed in the 

 wake until Wenchow Island was reached, where they left. 

 And occasionally swallows hawking over the sea were also 

 met with. After closing the land dragon flies became 

 plentiful. 



July 26th. — Shanghai to Hongkong. Light variable airs 

 from N.E. ; very fine weather. Patahekok Island being west 

 7 miles distant. A few gulls hereabouts. All L canus as 

 far as I could tell. Medusae also met with. When 2 miles 

 off Heachu Island a few terns (S sinensis) seen flying out 

 to sea. A fair number of boobies fishing in the vicinity. 



July 27th. — Passing 6-J miles to the eastward of Tung 

 Yung Island. N.E. airs and very fine. Last night numbers 

 of moths came on board, they were about the size and 

 appearance of clothes moths. An occasional flving fish seen 

 here. When passing Alligator Pock, a large rorqual 

 (B musculus) cruised round the ship for half an hour, dorsal 

 fin small, general colour a light ashv-grev. Orce it came 

 within 100 yards of the ship, length might be about fifty 

 feet or more. Several petrel — sooty brown — tail straight. 



