184 DAVIS, Notes from inilis Island ['"il^rjan!" 



sand patches on the hij2:her parts of the island were suddenly deserted, 

 and the Terns apparently migrated. On February 8th they were back 

 again at night time, flying over the island and making the shrill, 

 screaming noise which distinguishes them. Shortly after, one of these 

 birds broke a wing flying at night time against the living quarters. 

 Since the nesting season none of these birds has been observed on the 

 island, although they have been seen flying over it. Number impos- 

 sible to estimate. There are more of them than any other kind. 



March 12th. — The Terns when they do come to rest at about mid- 

 night settle down on the beach. I observed a great number of them 

 asleep there on a moonlight night, although at the same time a num- 

 ber were still screaming overhead. 



March 25th, 1922. — These birds are to be seen in greater numbers 

 in the daytime. To-day, for the first time, they are perched on the 

 beach in a big flock. 



April 4th, 1922. — Terns observed on top of island for the first time. 

 They are apparently going to nest immediately. 



April 8th, 1922.— First egg obtained to-day. 



April loth, 1922. — The Sooty Terns are now nesting all over the 

 island; they keep an incessant chatter, and settle down in flocks of a 

 hundred or so, fighting and screaming like a mob of angry bees. 

 Several eggs, I notice, have been broken, and the contents gone; this 

 is probably the work of the Rails, which are seen darting about in the 

 long grass close to the Terns' nesting places. 



Anous stolidu.s. Noddy Tern. — Resembles a pigeon. All brown 

 plumage with black on wing and tail coverts and a little white on 

 forehead. Has black legs, feet and beak. These birds are similar in 

 size and appearance to the Mutton Bird, but closer observation re- 

 veals many diff"erences. They are more graceful, and I consider them 

 the prettiest birds on the island. They assemble in large flocks on 

 the edge of the beach, just above the level of the sea, and apparently 

 live on small food they obtain on the shore. They are always seen 

 together in flocks, and form a black mark on the coral beach like 

 a thunder cloud. They nest on the grass some distance from the 

 beach, but on the lower ground. Their nests are built of a few bits 

 of coral and seaweed grass, merely a litter laid on the grass. Speci- 

 men egp; No. 2 was taken from the nest, the bird sitting only one 

 egg. Egg fresh when taken, November 25th, 1921, north side'. On 

 December 10, 1921, a chick of this bird was observed, which had 

 apparently just been born, covered with feathers rather than down. 

 On January 31st, 1922, the young bird was fully fledged and just 

 able to fly, although at the same time there are other birds still 

 sitting on eggs. 



February 19th. — The bushes on the island have grown to a height 

 of 2 ft. 6 in. These birds during the day time frequently perch on 

 the branches of the bushes in preference to congregating on the beach 

 at the water's edge. 



March 7th. — There appear to be more of these birds about lately. 

 In the morning many of them are to be seen perched, sometimes 

 singly, other times in groups on the bushes. I have also observed 

 them flying with loose pieces of grass in their beaks, but what object 

 this serves I do not know. Possibly it is the mating season at present. 



March 12th. — Number varies. At present there arc at least 150 

 of these birds on the island. 



March 17th, 1922. — The birds are now nesting, the nest being built 

 on top cf the dwarf bushes about 2', in. high, which are scattered all 

 over the higher parts of the island. The nest is of grass and pieces 

 of dry coral (Monflpora). I obtained an egg from one of these nests 

 to-day quite fresh. There are more of these birds on the island at 



