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younger birds were sprinkled all over the kay, wherever there 

 was room for them, and of all ages, from those almost able to fly, 

 to voung ones but that moment hatched. I found the e^ffs of 

 some twenty pairs, most of them on the point of hatching. The 

 number in every case was two, though only one is usually actrib- 

 uted to them. In appearance they resemble those of the family 

 generally, being greenish, covered with a chalky substance. In 

 size they vary considerably, as also in form, the most elongated 

 one measured .067 in length, by .038 in breadth ; and the broad- 

 est, .055 by .040 ; tiie others varying between these two extremes, 

 but averaging more nearly like the latter. The young, when first 

 hatched, are entirely naked, and of a livid blue color ; they soon 

 become covered with a white down, then the quills and tail-feathers 

 make their appearance, of a cinereous-brownish color, then the 

 feathers of the body, neck, and head ; and lastly, of the throat. 

 On our landing, some of the old birds flew off, but by far the 

 greater number remained, and did not trouble themselves to get 

 out of our way, but on being approached too nearly darted at us 

 with their powerful bills in a most savage manner. They seemed 

 to be very quarrelsome in their disposition, continually striking at 

 each other, not at all in an amicable manner, but as if they in- 

 tended to do all the mischief in their power. How the different 

 birds recognized their young was a mystery to me, as they appar- 

 ently did not remain in the same place after they had attained 

 any size. Besides St. Domingo Kay, I visited a number of other 

 breeding-places, all of which resembled the one described, except 

 in being more elevated above the water. The Booby is, I think, 

 the most expert diver that I am acquainted with ; no matter in 

 what position it may be, wdiether flying in a straight line, sailing 

 in a circle, just rising from the water, or swimming on the sur- 

 face, the instant it sees its prey it plunges after it. I have fre- 

 quently seen one dive from the wing, rise to the surface, and dive 

 in rapid succession five or six times ; and on taking flight again 

 dive before it had risen more than two or three feet from the sur- 

 face, and perhaps catch a dozen fish in the space of a minute. 

 There is nothing graceful in its style ; it is apparently work, and 

 not pleasure. On one of the kays I visited, called Booby Kay, 

 near Green Kay, I saw a great number of a species oi' Aiiolis, of 

 a dark, almost black color, entirely unlike any seen elsewhere, 



