CREATURES OF DARKNESS 213 



lives. These are snared in flight in a series of swift aerial evolu- 

 tions. 



With my hand I very gently shoved the nighthawk to one 

 side, and as I suspected, disclosed an egg which was laid on the 

 barren rock without benefit of padding or nest. At the touch 

 of my fingers the bird flew into the air but was back again in 

 a second and again shuffled over the precious shell. In the morn- 

 ing I returned and took a series of pictures with an ordinary 

 folding kodak, and so willing to pose was this amiable creature 

 that I was able to shove the camera in its face and even turn 

 it slightly around so the light would strike it more favorably. 

 In all my years of nature photography I have never had a more 

 agreeable subject. 



Soon the wind began to pick up again and I returned to the 

 cliff near the hut where there was more shelter. The bare stone 

 was still warm from the heat of the day and I spread out to 

 rest and listen. The warmth crept into my body and before I 

 knew what was happening I was asleep. For nearly an hour 

 I dozed and when I awoke I became conscious of some vague 

 sounds that I had not heard before. There were queer squeak- 

 ings and clickings, the fluttering of wings and the rustle of 

 branches. I rolled over and listened. The noises were very dis- 

 tinct. They seemed to come from the shadowy outlines of a 

 tamarind tree just back of the beach. I moved up to the dark 

 branches. There was a rush of wings, a sudden crescendo of 

 shrill squeakings and a horde of bats swept from the tree. I 

 could feel the air from their wings as they fluttered by my 

 head. For a time they whirled in the sky, silhouetted by the 

 stars, and then one by one disappeared into the blackness. 



In the morning I went again to the tamarind tree. It was 

 in full fruit. Light brown seed pods looking like fat, shortened 

 lima beans hung on the branches in profusion. I plucked one 

 and tasted it. It was mildly sweet, partly gummy in texture and 



