made during the Voyage of H.M.S. f Challenger. 3 583 



fusca, Tachypterus aquila, and Phcenicurus cethereus, great numbers of 

 which may be seen flying about. 



Among the creepers which cover the stony ground I found several 

 green Cicadce, a Locusta, and very large yellow spiders, which are also 

 very common on the mainland. 



On the beach I found a large Nerita and the Grapsus (c. f . strigosus) 

 from the rocks of St. Paul. 



Pat Island. — Amoug the white Convolvulus we saw and caught some 

 specimens of a Polyommatus, the only butterfly which was seen, with the 

 exception of a few small Microlepidoptera. Pigeons are common here. 



Platform Island. — The rocks on the beach are covered with a small 

 Mytilus ; and amoug these mussels specimens of a Patella were found. 



In each island our stay was extremely short. Every thing, however, 

 that came in our way was eagerly collected ; nevertheless the result will 

 not give an idea of the Fernando fauna, as no collecting could be done 

 on the mainland. 



15th October, 1873. — Landed on the lower ground of Tristan d'Acunha, 

 and remained six hours on shore collecting every thing I could find. On 

 the beach I saw underneath the seaweeds many Diptera, all of one spe- 

 cies, and under the stones Oniscus, lulus, and a Lumbricus. Besides 

 these there was a small Scolopendra, but scarcer than the former. Here 

 I also found a small Limax in great quantities, which was just laying 

 eggs (the corresponding species in northern Europe does so in April). 

 In a pool near the beach, the water of which was brackish, I saw a small 

 whitish Oligochaet. 



Of land-mollusca I found a small species resembling in shape our 

 genus Zonites, and secured a good many specimens of them. 



Several small spiders were gathered amoDg the grasses and under 

 stones. 



Proceediug then towards the settlement, I examined in many places 

 the dung of cows and sheep, but could find no trace of the Aphodii, 

 Geotrupes, and other beetles which, with us, are invariably to be found 

 underneath it. All I got was a small Stapliylinus. Going into the houses, 

 and asking for any objects of natural history which might have been col- 

 lected and kept by the inhabitants, I got quantities of a Buccinum found 

 on the beach, with Patella, Chiton, and others, also a dried sea-urchin 

 and a living Procellaria glacialoides. This bird, which is common on the 

 antarctic coast of South America, seems to be unknown to the fisher- 

 men of Tristan. Of course we also made inquiries about the butter- 

 flies, none of which had been seen flying about, asking especially if they 

 had not a dried specimen of them in a book or on a pin. They, how- 

 ever, had none, said it was not the proper time of the year for it, and 

 described it minutely — very likely Vanessa urticce, a species common all 

 over the world. 



There are no wild mammals on the island except rats and mice, no 



