44 
THE NATURALISTS’ JOURNAL. 
This was my first voyage abroad and having plenty of spare 
time I took copious notes on the Natural History of the voyage. 
In the Bay of Biscay we were followed by several terns, but I 
am not sure what species they belonged to. We also passed any 
amount of porpoises. When we were off the cost of Portugal a 
yellow-browed warbler settled on the ship. It was the first 
specimen of Phylloscopus superciliosus I had ever seen, and it was 
an unusual place for it, being out of sight of land. I also saw it 
again on the following day and since I failed to catch it alive I 
scattered about some biscuit crumbs in hopes that it might find 
them a substitute for its natural food. Whether it safely reached 
Madeira, where we arrived next day, or was drowned in the sea, 
I cannot tell. 
On February 26th, the day after we left Madeira, I saw the 
first flying fish and first “ Portuguese Men of War.” Some sharks 
were seen just as we passed the Cape Verd Islands, but beyond 
that nothing more of interest happened until March nth, the 
day before we reached Rio de Janeiro, when we saw some more 
porpoises and some individuals of Larus Marinus. We entered 
Rio Harbour about five o’clock on the morning of March 12th. 
We could see in the harbour several Frigate Birds, “ Marlinspikes” 
as the sailors call them, and some kind of Buzzard. 
We landed and drove up to the neighbouring mountain, Tijuca. 
Armed with a net I caught several butterflies and moths, includ¬ 
ing Lyccena boetica, or some butterfly very much resembling it. 
Several Lizards, species I was not acquainted with were seen 
and some fresh-water crabs. The next day we went over an 
island in the Bay and caught several butterflies, which I did not 
know the names of. In the evening we sailed for Monte Video. 
On the way occasionally a few gulls were seen and once a bird 
which the sailors call “ Booby ” settled on board, but we could not 
catch it. 
Directly we got into the river we were met by some doves. We 
also saw several species of gulls and some “ Cape Hens,” a kind 
of Albatross I believe. 
We did a little fishing and caught some cat-fish and a species like 
them only larger called “armado.” They both have the power 
of raising two of their fins with great force, so great that one 
struck right through the sole of an india-rubber boot, into the 
foot of a person who trod on one by mistake. We also caught 
some “ Dorados,” a kind of Carp, like a Gold-fish. They gave 
excellent sport and were fair eating. They grow to a large size, 
and have very powerful jaws. One “ Surair,” was also caught. 
It is a species of cat-fish. All except its most hideous head, was 
very beautiful, being spotted with dark green spots; it was about 
four feet long. 
Being in Quarantine we could not go ashore, and were anchored in 
mid-river, fourteen miles from the nearest land. For about two days a 
