240 Wells, Birds of the Island of Carriacou. Tju"'' 



Hillsborough, in large numbers; they also used to breed there, but for 

 some reason thev have now deserted it, and seem to have made Frigate 

 Island and Rose Rock their nesting places. I have taken their eggs there 

 in Mav. 



The habits of this bird are peculiar. It is most amusing to see them 

 drop down perpendicularly into the sea and plunge under the surface and 

 up again immediately with a small fish. They fish in flocks, and gener- 

 ally roost on the rocks about midday for a rest. Their note is a kind of 

 screech. 



The eggs are two in number, generally laid on the bare ground, but 

 sometimes in a grass tuft. 



5. Sterna fuliginosa Gmcl. Sooty Tern; Twar-oo. — This bird is 

 not abundant in Carriacou, though it breeds in numbers on the islets 

 between this island and Grenada; a few may be seen at Bonaparte Rocks 

 and Isle-de-large. 



6. Sterna anaethetus Scop. Bridled Tern. — Numerous at all the 

 little islands, notably at Rose Rock where they nest in colonies during 

 the month of May, where I have taken several clutches of eggs. It is a 

 graceful bird, swift of wing, and is sometimes met with far out at sea 

 fishing, and occasionally sitting on the water in flocks like the Laughing 

 Gull. Like the other members of the same family, they make hardly any 

 nest, a tuft of .grass, or a depression in the rocTi serving as a place for 

 depositing its eggs. These are two in number, light grayish buff with 

 dark brown spots and blotches. They measure 2.12 X i-37, 2.00 X i-37. 



7. Anous stolidus Lin?:. Noddy Tern; Mwen. — These birds are to 

 be met with all around the island, they nest at Isle-de-large, Rose Rock 

 and White Island. At the eastern end of White Island is a conical hill 

 where the Noddy congregates in large numbers. The hill is honey-combed 

 and is just the place for it to deposit its eggs. I have taken several sets 

 of eggs at Rose Rock and Isle-de-large in May ; the colony at White 

 Island is inaccessible. 



The Noddy is not quite so stupid a bird as he has been described by 

 some writers ; it is true that he seems and looks very foolish whilst sitting 

 on his nest, and one would imagine he could be taken by the hand, but 

 just as you expect to hold him he will administer a sharp peck to your 

 hand and fly away, leaving his nest to be despoiled. 



The eggs are usually placed in a hole or depression in* the rock, and 

 contain from two to three eggs, of a pale gray, thickly spotted with brown. 



8. Puffinus auduboni Finsch. Diablotin. — Though not often seen, 

 as it seldom leaves its hole in the daytime, this bird is very numerous, 

 and lives in holes and under the rocks on most of our little islets, issuing 

 forth at dusk to fish and returning at dawn. They make amost unearthh' 

 noise when leaving and returning to their nests, hence the name given 

 to them by the fishermen, which literally means ' little devil.' Bonaparte 

 Rocks are a favourite abode of these birds. When the young arrive at a 

 certain stage they become simply a ball of fat enclosed in down ; it is 



