BIRDS OF THE BAHAMA ISLANDS. 1 93 



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

 to do all the mischief in their power. How the different birds rec- 

 ognized their young was a mystery to me, as they apparently did not 

 remain in the same place after they had attained any size. 



" Besides St. Domingo Key, I visited a number of other breed- 

 ing-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, whether frying in a straight line, sailing in a circle, just 

 rising from the water, or swimming on the surface, the instant it 

 sees its prey it plunges after it. I have frequently 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 surface, and perhaps catch 

 a dozen fish in the space of a minute. Thei^e is nothing graceful 

 in its style ; it is aj^parently work and not pleasure. 



" On one of the keys I visited, called Booby Key, near Green 

 Key, I saw a great number of a species of Anolis, of a dark, almost 

 black color, entirely unlike any seen elsewhere, but they were so 

 timid and active in their movements that I could not procure a 

 specimen. The stomach contained a great many varieties of fish ; 

 among them a cottus, a parrot-fish, flatfish of two species, and some 

 large prawns ; but their principal food seemed to be flying-fish and 

 a species of hemirhamphus." 



Fig. Aud. Bds. N. A., Vol. VII. pi. 426. 



