114 Director's Ajiiiual Report. 



I have before referred to the large colonies of common brown 

 boobies about the north point of the island. It was in the vicinity 

 of this colony that the man-o'-war birds were the most abundant. 

 Here they would lie in ambush for the old boobies and tropic birds 

 as they returned from the sea heavily laden with fresh food for 

 their young. Sitting quietly on the tree tops, or more often wheel- 

 ing high overhead industriously patroling the island, out where 

 the surf broke on the reef, these birds would keep a sharp lookout 

 to sea for a sight of the returning fishing fleet of boobies. Sighting 

 one (sometimes consisting of one, sometimes of several individuals) 

 as many as half a dozen hawks would make for them under full 

 sail, and without a moment's warning would engage a hapless 

 bird in battle. Swooping down upon it from every side, buffetting 

 it with their wings, snapping at it with their long hooked bills, 

 flying now above, now before, now below it, the hawks would so 

 confuse their vidlims that eventually, feeling that the only safety 

 for its life lay in letting go part of its store of supplies as a sop for 

 its assailants to quarrel over, the booby would on a sudden drop 

 one of its fish, whereat the hawk would swoop down, more rapidly 

 than the eye could follow, and catch" the food before it had touched 

 the wave, then taking it securely in its bill would fly majestically 

 off to feed its own ever expedtant offspring. The unfortunate 

 booby meanwhile was farther pursued by the less fortunate hawks 

 until, reft of all her quarry, she was allowed to return to her young. 



On the fringing reef hereabout were exposed a number of large 

 blocks of coral stone that served an interesting purpose in these 

 sea battles. If a booby succeeded in warding off or evading her 

 pursuers from the first attack she would set a course direct for one 

 of these rocks, the hawks usually increasing in numbers at every 

 moment in hot pursuit. Perhaps another fish would be dropped on 

 the way, but if at last the bird was able to make this place of safety 

 its pursuers would mount high in air, or, to use a sea term, lay off 

 and on, sailing back and forth always keeping the sharpest watch 

 on the brown object sitting quietly on the rock. After a short rest 

 and choosing a favorable opportunity when its pursuers were at 

 some distance the booby would make a final dash for the shore. 

 The nearer it got to the beach the more furious grew the conflict ; 

 for in addition to the hawks both the noddy and white terns would 

 take a hand in the robbery. It often occurred that a bird that had, 



