161 
ateepness of the Island and the frequency of rains has prevented any formation of tha® 
valuable material. 
I have subjoined a note drawn up with the assistance of Mr. Gorby of that place, 
and to vrhotn I am indebted for rauch vaiuable Information, 
I have the honor to be, 
Sir, 
Your most obedient servaut, 
J. Ä. LLOYD, 
Surveyor General and Civil Engineer , 
REPORT ON SERPENT ISLAND. 
Serpent Island, lies 1 J /« miles p}. E. */» East °f Round Island, the ascent to the 
summit is difficuli owing io the great inclination of the surface, and darigerous frora 
its slippery nature, which appears to be caused frora exerernents of the innuraerable 
3ea birds which inhabit the Island being diffused by the rain, and drjed by the heat 
pf the-sun, inlo a coating of a whilish colour, which covers most pari of the Island, 
and besides alfording bot a very indifferent footing, causes great pain to the eyes 
frora the glare of light and heat which it reflects. 
The whole Island is covered wit.h sea birds wilh their young, and the effluvia 
arising from their excreraenl toge her with dead birds and decayed eggs destroyed by 
the Hurricane, was insupportabie. There are three species of the feathered tribe. 
The largest called by the fishermen the «Boeuf, o is a very fierpe and strong bird, 
nearly the size of a Duck ; 1 Us plumage is entireiy white except its wings which are 
edged, with black featbers, It has a sharp beak, like that of the aPajlle-en Queue, a 
but of a yellow colour, its eyes also are yellow, and when the bird is excited, tbe 
pupils delate, and contract incessantly. Tts leg* and f et are black and in shape like 
those of a goose, which it rauch teeembles in carriage and gait ; they generally go by 
pairs, and lay but one egg at a time of a dingy white colour, the young are covered 
wilh down and do not fleage, until they have attained their full size. The oid birds 
are very shy unless by the side of their young or sitting and immediately they are 
caught, they vomil all the fidi they have in their maw. 
The oCordonnier» is as large as a pjgeon, and of a brown grey colour, all but its 
head, which is white, and blends with the former ti nt down its neck ; its bi|! is 
black and pointed, its legs like those of a pigeon, and feet beautifully small and 
webbed ; it lays one egg and its young run about the rocks like chickens. 
The «Goelette# differs from the oCordonnier» only in colour, its back and wings 
are speckied with white and brown and its breast is entirely white; its eggs are of a 
bluish white spolted with red and brown ; the young as well as those of the «Cordon- 
nier» are very rauch like young Turkies and easily lamed. 
The only other animals found on the Island are a species of lizard (Scincus) like 
that of the «Gunners Quoin, » and a dead centipede, about four inches iong, at the very 
summa of ih« Hill, a few patebes of parebed giass and a watery weed, called at the 
Mauritius sPourpier» grew very scanlily io some clefts of the rocks. 
In form Ihe Island, is nearly circular having a slighl hollow at its Western extremity. 
The Eastern and S. E. is rugged and precipitous and the remainder almost snjooth 
and gradually sloping to wilhin 40 feet of the level of the sea, where it becomes brokea 
a sheiving. 
The Island is composed principally of iTufa» with a great quantity of retten stone, 
and with slratified rock and projecling particles of black basalt. 
