BIRD ISLAND AND SAINT CROIX 205 



photograph i no- durini;- the early portion of the day, and 

 at about three o'clock it began to darken very rapidly, 

 when it soon became apparent that we were to have a 

 second edition of the storm of the previous night. This 

 was disappointing, neither of us having taken as many 

 photographs as we wished to, nor had we used up more 

 than about half of our plates. There was evidently 

 nothing to be done but run with all speed to the shed 

 which afforded the only shelter there was on the island, 

 and before we had arrived there the rain had begun in 

 real earnest, accompanied by thunder and lightning- 

 Here we found two of the men from the tug, who 

 had come to take us off, one of whom was nursing a 

 large Penguin, which he said would make him a capital 

 supper ! They told us to get ready as quickly as we 

 could, as there was going to be a storm, and the sea 

 would rise in a very short time. After taking particular 

 care to bring our mackintoshes with us, it was only 

 natural that they should be in the tug while we were 

 in the boat, consequently we were exposed to the full 

 force of the rain, which came down in no half-hearted 

 manner during our short passage from the island to 

 the tug. 



The only birds we saw on St. Croi.x besides Gulls 

 and Penguins were a pair of Black Oyster Catchers, 

 which were standing about on the rocks near the shore. 

 We had met with these birds before, at Mossel Bay, 

 where the white sand served to show up their sooty- 

 black plumage and long red beaks very strikingly. 

 They would not permit of a near approach at Mossel 

 Bay, perhaps knowing how conspicuous they must look, 

 but flew off, uttering their loud whistling cry, K-lee 



