THE BOOBY. 



199 



shelter from the scorching rays of the sun. The Boobies, too, seemed affected by the heat, and sat 

 panting with open beaks ; some, still more overcome, were resting against a branch, with their 

 heads hanging down and eyes shut. At first I thought these were dead, but on stirring them up, I 

 succeeded in making them open their eyes. I could not, however, prevail upon them to get up ; they 

 only screwed their heads about with a sort of expression that seemed to ask me what I meant Over- 

 many of the nests one of the old birds sat, and in the same trees the fully-fledged young still remained. 



DAHTEK, OR SXAK.E-XECK. 



The young were of every age, their plumage including every stage, from the white down of the newly- 

 hatched chick to the grey dress of the full-grown. In some few, still older, the white dress of the 

 adult was beginning to show itself. The name Booby is most appropriate : I never saw a bird with 

 less idea of getting out of one's way, or caring less for what one did. Walking about under the trees 

 was nothing ; they hardly condescended to look down ; nor when we stirred them up while taking a 

 ' siesta,' pulled their tails, poked them off their nests, and fought with them for their eggs, and bullied 

 them in every way, did we succeed in getting up any sort of excitement in the colony. They took 

 everything with the greatest indifference, with a complaisant, grave expression that was laughable to 

 watch. And yet a Booby is no fool at fishing. Rare sport they must have of it, flying at the pace 



