NUMEROUS BIRDS 117 



egret,* an interesting species with two distinct 

 phases, or forms of plumage irrespective of age 

 or sex. Wholly white, or entirely blue, examples 

 are equally common, while one specimen which I 

 shot was mottled with white and blue-grey, all 

 the feathers being parti-coloured. These egrets 

 collect in great numbers round the pools of fresh- 

 water near the settlement, and when disturbed 

 fly but a little way, quickly assembling again at 

 the same spot. One can realise what a nuisance 

 they must be to the inhabitants, so soon do they 

 foul the scanty supply of fresh water. 



A small kestrel and a sunbird were also fairly 

 common in the casuarina trees ; the latter is 

 peculiar to Aldabra, though closely allied to the 

 sunbird of Assumption, from which it differs only 

 in having more yellow on the underparts. 



Doves,*)* also, somewhat similar to those found 

 on Assumption, were fairly numerous, but the 

 Aldabra rail was not at all common, and I 

 only met with two, both of which I obtained 

 during our stay. The jet black males and grey 

 females of a drongo shrike} were conspicuous 

 inhabitants of the bush in the neighbourhood 

 of the village, but they were exceedingly shy and 

 difficult to approach. 



As the tide rolled in, numbers of shore-birds 

 left the sandy beach and flew over into the lagoon, 



* Demiegretta sacra. f Turtur aldabranus. 



% Dicrurus aldabranus. 



