THE CHILKA. 185 



grave, awkward-looking and helpless 

 young of the pelican are to be seen 

 squatted on a flat rock five or six feet 

 above the water, from which it would 

 be easy for the parent bird to push 

 them down into the lake. I have also 

 seen flamingoes and other cranes on the 

 island, but I do not think they breed 

 there. 



"We collected many kinds of eggs 

 among the rocks, the prevailing colour 

 among them was a pale bluish green, 

 and the shape an elongated and pointed 

 oval; some four eggs only were white. 

 A pair of young crested herons, nearly 

 full fledged, were also carried off on one 

 of our visits, and for a time throve 

 upon the fish we gave them. They 

 were very pugnacious birds, and full of 



