“ On placing the two species in juxtaposition, their relative sizes
appear as follows:—-
Bill. Wing. Bare tibia. Tarsus. Mid. toe.
in. iii* in* in* in*
¿E. varius s.pecuarius . *0 ... 4*0 ... '5 ... 1‘2 ... 7
JE. sancta-helencB , * ’S ... 4*5 ... '7 ... 1'5 ...
“ Independently of its larger size, longer and more robust bill
and tarsi, the * W ire-bird’ may be distinguished from its continental
ally by the colour of the primaries, in which the shaft of the first
quill only is white, the other shafts being dusky brown; in the other
species all the shafts are mesially white.”
The seabirds are also interesting, inasmuch as they bear so
great an analogy to those of the Polynesian Islands in the South
Pacific ocean.
In the following list several cage-birds have been included,
being those most abundantly kept in the Island, and it being just
possible that, like the Java Sparrow, they may also breed there;
many other West-African birds are taken to the Island and
kept as cage-birds in addition to those mentioned. Not included in
this list is another land-bird, a small Finch, of the size of Orithagra
butyracea- or Euplectes madagascariensis, which during the last year
or two has made its appearance in the Island, and been called the
“ Orange b i r d t h e r e is nothing to show how or whence this
bird came thither. I t is most probably a mixture of the cardinal
and canary, and has its name from its breast being of the colour of a
ripe orange. I t is very scarce.
I t is said that two more species also not included in this list exist
in the Island, namely, a larger Ground Dove, and a sea-bird called
the “ Blackbird.” -1 have not met with either of these, but as a
large species of Noddy does exist at St. Helena I am not quite sure
that the latter may not be found identical with it, though I am
inclined to believe, from the description of it given by fishermen and
others who have seen it, that it may turn out *to be a black Tern
different from the Noddy. Strange birds do occasionally visit the
Island, but generally one at a time. In 1869 a small black swallow
hovered about the rocky cliffs at Ladder Hill for several days, and a
solitary rail, not unlike the Gallinula cristata of Java, was caught at
Lemon Valley. There are other instances also of new species
appearing for a short time. The opinion that such birds naturally