OCEANIC BIRD LIFE 

 By L. Ferdinand 



After flying across three continents in five days, I alighted rather 

 breathlessly in Macassar, in Celebes, to find myself in a hot, tropical 

 climate. It had been late summer when I had left home and the trees were 

 still green, though cold nights foretold the coming of winter. The Gala- 

 thea called at the port the day following my arrival and the next after- 

 noon, in September 1951, we put to sea. 



We were barely out of Macassar when, sailing over the ship in easy, 

 gliding flight, the first frigate-birds appeared. After making a brief swoop 

 over the mainmast, they flew off. This was my welcome from the state- 

 liest bird of the tropical seas, their best and handsomest flyer, though 

 also their greatest robber. My hardened companions, scarcly noticing the 

 birds, shook their heads at the enthusiasm of the new arrival. 



The Australian gannet (Sula serrator) soaring over a rocky islet off New Zealand, where this 

 species breeds. It differs from its cousin of the North Atlantic (Sula bassana) in having dark 

 tail feathers and black wing feathers. 



