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4. The outlying rocks, known as “ Cays.” These are bare

rocks lying out at sea often well out of sight of the nearest

mainland and generally marking the seaward boundary of the

reef. In most cases these islands are destitute of vegetation, in

others they are covered with a growth of prickly pear or small

bushes of a very thorny character.


I should perhaps have stated that nowhere in these Islands

is there any soil as we understand it in England ; the only soil

is that which has been formed by decayed vegetation collected

in holes and crevices on the surface of the rock and has at

the most an average depth of three or four inches.


Having thus dealt roughly with the general features of the

islands we will now consider some of the most characteristic

birds inhabiting the coppet. .


The Bahama Mocking Bird, a fine large species about the

size of our Missel Thrush, though of rather slimmer build, will

probably be the first bird heard by the observer ; he is

common on most of the islands, and the smaller the island the

more abundant he seems to become. East March we visited some

of the islands forming the reef of Abaco, and on landing the

whole island seemed alive with the song of these birds although

not one was to be seen ; however, I crept along under the thick

bush, which covered the interior of the island, and sat down

under a tree where the ground was somewhat clearer. At first I

saw no signs of a bird and only heard the song at some little

distance, then I made out a bird sitting about three feet away,

and then another and another until I was able to count ten,

within a radius of some 15 feet, the majority of whom soon

re-commenced singing.


Some author, with whom I quite agree, once suggested

that observers who could not describe the songs of birds had

best not attempt it, and consequently I will content myself with

saying that the song most reminded me of that of the Song

Thrush, although it struck me as being rather more varied. I was

staying at that time at a sisal plantation ( a ), where the American

species (M. polyglottus ) abounded, and was thus able to compare

the habits of the two. I11 the first place the American bird was

by far the most confiding and lived round the house, even nesting

on an orange tree close to the back door. Everywhere in the

open country where the land had been cleared, sitting on the

topmost bough of a sisal pole (as the tall flower of that plant is



(a). A plant, the fibre of which is used for ropes.—J. L. B.



