686 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



lake we found a boat belonging to William Albury, one of our guides, 

 and pulled away for the western shore. The lake, or lagoon, is here 

 about five feet deep, the bottom soft, and covered with slimy weed. 

 Albury, who is a keen old sportsman, informed us that the wild pigeon 

 breeds about the lake, and in the season he shoots large numbers of 

 them. If, however, they fall into the water, there is an end of them, 

 as the lagoon is infested by numbers of small sharks, which not only 

 snap up the birds, but are particularly bold — so much so that to swim 

 for the pigeons would probably result in a serious bite, if not worse. 

 I confess that I received this information with a certain amount of re- 

 serve, my experience being that sharks are very cowardly in these 

 waters, so that even large ones rarely attack men. However, about 

 two hours later, when we had pulled to the other side, where the 

 waters were so shallow that all hands were obliged to wade, and drag 

 the boat over the sharp rocks, covered with small univalve shell-fish, 

 on which the flamingoes feed, I had ocular demonstration of their 

 boldness. We had observed the ripple caused by a shoal of bonefish, 

 when suddenly a small shark by which they were being chased turned 

 and came straight for the bare, black legs of Edgar Archer, our second 

 guide. He flung an oar at it, which missed it, but caused it to sheer 

 off. The fish was only about two and a half feet long, but the deter- 

 mination to try the flavor of Archer's legs was unmistakable. 



Hauling the boat high and dry, we started for the nests. By this 

 time the sun was very strong, and, as the soft marl banks, sparsely 

 clothed with dwarf mangrove and button-wood, afforded no shade, the 

 walking was decidedly hot. The banks are penetrated in every direc- 

 tion with the arms of the lagoon, now almost dry, but after south- 

 westerly winds they fill so that a boat will float in them. The nests 

 are always built in these lagoons or on their brink, so that w'hen the 

 water rises the nests ai-e almost awash. Indeed, in rough weather the 

 eggs are sometimes washed out of them. The birds can thus feed 

 while sitting. 



A walk of about an hour brought us to a small clump of trees, 

 from behind which we carefully reconnoitred, antl there, within half 

 a mile, we saw the birds. Very lovely the pink mass looked in the 

 bright sunlight. There were three separate clusters of nests, every 

 one of which was occupied, while the male; birds stood around, their 

 heads raised high, as they evidently suspected mischief. As I could 

 not clearly make out with my glasses the position of the legs of the 

 sitting birds, there was nothing for it but a long stalk over the inter- 

 vening slob, and with the blazing sun now almost vertical. The first 

 quarter of a mile was comparatively easy, as we could creep on our 

 hands and knees ; but then we came to a point where nothing but 

 vermicular motion could avail us, and for real hard work let me recom- 

 mend it to tho?e who are content with very active exercise without 

 attaining a high rate of progression. The tropical sun beat down upon 



