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branchj with the little ones looking over the edge, or, 

 the parent bird sittiHg on her eggs, and as uncon- 

 cerned at the appearance of man, " vile man," for the 

 poet says " only man is vile " — as if he were a per- 

 fectly harmless creature. The old dame only thinks 

 of leaving her nest after receiving a poke from the 

 end of a walking stick, or an umbrella. She then 

 enters an angry protest, and flies away. 



The young of these birds form a part of the daily 

 food of the island. There is a mineral spring, in the 

 island, which has an astringent taste as if it contained 

 a solution of alum. 



Of quadrupeds at Praslin, there are few, and 

 amongst them no wild animals, or animals that are 

 considered dangerous, although a wild pig is occa- 

 sionally met with. 



Amongst the reptiles, lizards of a large size 

 abond, and a large kind of " mille pattes " with a 

 glossy covering on its back, like a black coat of mail, 

 is also common. This creature is by no means a 

 beauty. Amongst its habits is that of lying on the 

 ground asleep all day, and making good use of its 

 limbs at night. Not unlike some bipeds. 



Cent-pieds and scorpions though not numerous 

 are sometime met with, grow to a large size. 



Besides these, in the unfrequented ravines, twist- 

 ed round the trunk or branch of a tree, a serpent is 

 sometimes seen. It is flat in shape and about the 

 tickness of a child's finger. The back is of a brownish 



