BIKD-STATIONS. 83 



cence of the phosphate of lime, obtained by the solution 

 of the bird-ordure in the elements, which takes on foliated 

 forms imitative of lichens or nullipores. 



There is not a vestige of vegetable life here, but of 

 animals there are not a few. The booby and the noddy 

 sit on the bare rock in startling tameness, apparently 

 having less intellect than the far inferior races around 

 them. " By the side of many of the nests a small flying- 

 fish was placed, which, I suppose, had been brought by 

 the male bird for its partner. It was amusing to watch 

 how quickly a large and active crab, (Grapsus,) which 

 inhabits the crevices of the rock, stole the fish from the 

 side of the nest, as soon as we had disturbed the parent 

 birds. Sir W. Symonds, one of the few persons who 

 have landed here, informs me that he saw the crabs 

 dragging even the young birds out of their nests, and 

 devouring them. Not a single plant, not even a lichen, 

 grows on this islet ; yet it is inhabited by several insects 

 and spiders. The following list completes, I believe, the 

 terrestrial fauna : — A fly (Olfersia) living on the booby, 

 and a tick which must have come here as a parasite on 

 the birds ; a small brown moth, belonging to a genus 

 that feeds on feathers ; a beetle, {Quedius,) and a wood- 

 louse from beneath the dung ; and, lastly, numerous 

 spiders, which I suppose prey on these small attendants 

 and scavengers of the waterfowl. The often-repeated 

 description of the stately palm, and other noble tropical 

 plants, then birds, and lastly man, taking possession of 

 the coral islets as soon as formed, in the Pacific, is pro 



