216 VOYAGES OF A NATURALIST 



inland we could see the French flag flying over 

 Government House. 



The pilot, after a little delay, made his appear- 

 ance, and, taking us safely through the opening in 

 the reef into the still water beyond, brought us to 

 an anchorage close up to the town. 



It is forbidden to shoot birds both on Tahiti 

 and on the neighbouring island of Eimeo, nor 

 were we able to obtain permission from the 

 Governor to collect for scientific purposes. During 

 the whole of our stay, which lasted for nearly a 

 fortnight, we saw very few birds indeed. A swift 

 of a species of Collocalia was most frequently seen ; 

 this, with a few small grass-finches and a single 

 thrush-like bird, completed the list of indigenous 

 land-birds met with by us. The Indian mynah 

 was introduced some years ago for the purpose of 

 destroying a large yellow-bodied wasp which is so 

 numerous as to be a pest. The mynah increased 

 enormously, and is now very plentiful, but the 

 number of wasps remains the same. There can 

 be little doubt that it is entirely owing to the 

 presence of this bird that the native species have 

 become so scarce. 



Sea-birds were also scarce, the greater frigate 

 birds,* tropic birds, and noddies'!" were occasionally 

 observed, while white ternsj were seen in some 

 numbers flying round the palm trees, on the leaves 

 of which they lay their single egg. Both blue 



* Fregata aquila. f Anous stolidus. % Gygis alba. 



