151 
to a Nesting-place of the Frigate-bird. 
Island, in the bay of Fonseca, on the Pacific coast of Hon¬ 
duras. It is called Bird Island, and is not more than an acre 
in extent, and of an oblong shape. At one end the beach is 
sandy, and at low-water one can walk across to another island 
close adjoining. At the other end the shore is rocky, and it is 
much the same at the sides, the beach being strewn with large 
volcanic stones. The surface of the island is some 30 or 40 
feet above the sea-level. It is covered with long grass, and 
there are also a few trees and low shrubs—mangroves ( Rhizo - 
pliora mangle , Linn.)—growing in places, especially about high- 
water mark. At a distance the most conspicuous object was a 
numerous flight of Frigate-birds soaring over the island. As 
we approached, large white patches, caused by the droppings of 
the birds, became visible. We landed on the flat sandy beach, 
and in a few minutes I had shot a pair of Tiger-Bitterns ( Tigri - 
soma tigrinum) } which allowed me to approach without any dif¬ 
ficulty. Besides these and the Frigate-birds, we saw no birds on 
the island, except a few Pelicans, some large Accipitres , and a 
single Booby (Sula fused), which had its nest on a low tree, in 
company with the Frigate-birds. The whole island was appro¬ 
priated by the latter. Nearly every tree and bush, both high 
and low, was covered with birds and their nests. The latter 
were mostly composed of a few sticks laid crossways, hardly as 
much in quantity as in the nest of the Bing-dove ( Columha 
palumbus). Each nest contained a single egg, about the size of 
a henVegg, and of a chalky whiteness *. We brought away 
nearly a hundred of them. Some were quite fresh, and others 
had been sat upon some days. Although the nests were upon 
low bushes, still they were placed just too high for one to reach 
the eggs without climbing. Many of the nests were on the 
mangrove bushes which were growing just above high-water 
mark, so that we could see into them when standing on the 
bank of the island, which was at a higher level. Some of the 
birds were sitting on their nests, and others were perched upon 
the branches. By firing into the mass I might have killed a 
* Specimens taken by Mr. Taylor, and exhibited at a meeting of the 
Zoological Society (June 8 , 1858), measured 2f by If inches. See P. Z. S. 
1858, p. 318. 
