104 VOYAGES OF A NATURALIST 



their eggs, and the shore was covered with their 

 tracks. Two large ones were caught during our 

 stay, and were kept ahve on board until we reached 

 Aldabra, when they were given to the overseer 

 of that island. 



The second day of our stay off Glorioso was 

 spent on the neighbouring He de Lise. Landing 

 first on Glorioso, we took on board the proprietor, 

 who volunteered to act as our guide, and then we 

 started on a three mile row to our destination. 

 On the way we visited the rocky islet previously 

 mentioned as lying between the two islands. 

 Here was a large colony of sea-birds. Noddy 

 terns were all sitting on their eggs, most of which 

 were fresh. The eggs were laid in a shallow 

 depression on the grass, and the " nests " were so 

 close together that it was difficult to walk without 

 treading on the eggs. The gannets had not com- 

 menced to lay, while a few sooty terns,* which were 

 flying overhead, were evidently not nesting. 



After a long and difficult " pull," owing to the 

 quickly falling tide, we at last reached He de Lise. 

 In spite of the thick growth of trees and bushes 

 there was not a bird of any kind to be seen — no 

 sign of a land or sea-bird, although, judging from 

 the dried remains of sooty terns on a bare portion 

 of the islet, I fancy that there must be a large colony 

 nesting there at some period of the year. There is 

 a roughly-built shed on the island, and close by 



* Sterna fuliginoaa. 



