Bye CORALS AND CORAL ISLANDS. 
blocks or fragments of beach rock scattered over the island’s 
surface, under which they burrow out nests for themselves. 
A service is sometimes required of this bird, which may, per- 
haps, be worthy of notice. A setting bird was taken from 
her nest and carried to sea by a vessel just leaving the island. 
On the second day, at sea, a rag, on which was written a mes- 
sage, was attached to the bird’s feet, who returned to the nest, 
bringing with it the intelligence of the departed vessel. This 
experiment succeeded so well that, subsequently, these birds 
were carried from Howland’s to Baker’s Island (forty miles 
distant), and on being liberated there, one after the other, as 
occasion demanded, brought back messages, proving them- 
selves useful in the absence of other means of communica- 
tion. The game birds, snipe, plover, and curlew, frequent 
the islands in the fall and winter, but I never found any evi- 
dence of their breeding there. They do not leave the island 
in quest of prey, but may be seen at low-tide picking up their 
food on the reef which is then almost dry. 
“Some of the social habits of these birds are worthy of 
remark. The gannets and boobies usually crowd together in 
a very exclusive manner. The frigate birds likewise keep 
themselves distinct from other kinds. The tern appropriate 
to themselves a certain portion of the island; each family 
collects in its accustomed roosting-place, but all in peace and 
harmony. The feud between the fishing birds and their 
oppressors, the frigate birds, is active only in the air; if the 
gannet or booby can but reach the land and plant its feet on 
the ground, the pursuer gives up the chase immediately.” 
Notwithstanding the products and the attractions of a 
coral island, it is in its best condition but a miserable place 
for human development, physical, mental, or moral. There 
