192 BIRDS OF THE BAHAMA ISLANDS. 



it is entirely washed by the waves. It can only be approached at 

 one spot, and that only at calm weather. At the time of my visit, 

 it was literally covered with Boobies, mostly young ones. Of these, 

 by far the greater part were fully fledged, and could ffy Avith ease, 

 but were still dependent on the parent birds for food. They kept 

 by themselves, and were perched upon the rocks all around the edge 

 of the key. The younger birds were sjarinkled all over the ke}^ 

 wherever thei"e was room for them, and of all ages, from those almost 

 able to fly, to young ones but that moment hatched. I found the 

 eggs of some twenty jDairs, most of them on tlie point of hatching. 

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

 attributed 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 0.67 in length by 0.3S in breadth, and the broadest 

 0.55 by 0.40, the others varying between these two extremes, but 

 averaging more nearly 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 c|uills 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 near, darted at us 

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

 to be very quarrelsome in their disposition, continually striking at 



