g8 CONFESSIONS OF A BEACHCOMBER 



Black-naped Tern - Sterna melanauchen. 



Noddy - - Anous stolidus. 



White-capped Noddy - - Micranous leucocapillus. 



IBISES 



White Ibis - - Ibis molucca. 



Straw-necked Ibis - Carphibis spinicollis. 



HERONS 



Plumed Egret - - Mesophoyx plumifera. 



White Egret - Herodias timoriensis. 



White-fronted Heron - - Notophoyx nova-hollandia. 



Reef Heron - - Demiegretta sacra. 



Little Mangrove Bittern - Butorides stagnatilis. 



Yellow-necked Mangrove Bittern - Dupetor Gouldi. 



POUCHERS 



Little Cormorant - - Phalacrocorax melanokucus. 



Darter - - P lotus novcB-hollandice. 



Masked Gannet - - Sula cyanops. 



Red-legged Gannet - - Sula piscator. 



Brown Gannet (Booby) - Sula sula {fiber). 



Lesser Frigate Bird - - Fregata ariel. 



Pelican - Peltcanus conspicillatus. 



DIVER 

 Black-throated Grebe - - Podidpes nova-hollandia. 



DUCKS 



Black Duck - - Anas superciliosa. 



Grey Teal - - Nettion (Anas) gibberifrons. 



Why have we no residential parrot, though cockatoos 

 are plentiful ; no scrub turkey though the megapode 

 scampers in all directions in the jungle ; no common black 

 crow, nor butcher bird, though other shrikes (the magpie for 

 instance) come and go ; no wren, no finch, no lark ? Scrub 

 turkeys (Tallegalla lathami), mound builders like the 

 megapode, are plentiful all along the coast, at certain 

 seasons visiting the scrub which margins the opposite 

 beach, but they are not found on these islands. The blue 



