Identifier: threevoyagesofna00nico (find matches)
Title: Three voyages of a naturalist : being an account of many little-known islands in three oceans visited by the "Valhalla" R.Y.S.
Year: 1908 (1900s)
Authors: Nicoll, M. J. (Michael John), 1880-1925 Crawford, James Ludovic Lindsay, Earl of, 1847-1913
Subjects: Valhalla (Yacht) Scientific expeditions Voyages and travels Voyages around the world Birds West Indies -- Discovery and exploration
Publisher: London : Witherby & Co.
Contributing Library: The LuEsther T Mertz Library, the New York Botanical Garden
Digitizing Sponsor: The LuEsther T Mertz Library, the New York Botanical Garden

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On several occasions I saw these fruitbats splash into the salt-water of the harbour,but whether they were drinking or washing Ido not know. During our visit to the Comoros we steamedacross to Anjouan Island, but owing to the heavysea and strong wind we were unable to get in close,and had to return to Mayotte. This was muchto be regretted, as the fauna of Anjouan is some-what different to that of Mayotte. Our last day was spent in the virgin forest,on one of the highest peaks of Mayotte. My specialobject on this excursion was to get examples ofthe peculiar fruit-pigeon,* which is only to be foundon the wooded peaks. We saw, altogether, fourexamples of this remarkable bird, and I shot twoadults. In appearance it is short and thickset,the entire plumage is deep blue, with the ex-ception of the head, neck, and upper breast,which are grey tinged with yellow. The feathersof the fore neck and upper breast are elongatedand lanceolate in form, while round the eye is a * Alectroenas sganzini.
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FOKET DAMBRE, MADAGASCAR. F89) VIRGIN FOREST 89 bare patch of red skin. The coo of the Comorofruit-pigeon is extraordinarily deep and resonant.These pigeons were very tame, and took no noticewhatever of our presence. There is no doubtthat they are now extremely rare. A native guide told me that he had often seenthe black parrot* in this same forest-coveredpeak, but unfortunately we did not come acrossit. The Madagascar weaver bird was somewhatabundant on the outskirts of the forest, andthe only other bird seen there was a thrushf ofabout the size of our blackbird ; it has an orange-coloured bill, but the plumage is greyish and thecrown of the head black. It is a very noisy bird,its loud chattering call-note at once betrays itspresence. This patch of virgin forest extends from about1000 feet above sea-level nearly to the summitof the peak, and is composed of tall trees underwhich dense masses of creepers and ferns grow inluxuriance. Numerous streams of pure fresh waterintersect the nar

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