AFRICA CORAL STRAND 397 



half a mile offshore and extending to 1 5 miles long by 

 6 broad), also held gazelles, which during the midday heat 

 lay-up under overhung coral cliffs by the shore. Twenty 

 miles north, on Entufash Island (10 miles long, and 15 

 from mainland), the gazelles had an additional choice of 

 shelter in mangrove swamps. 



Bird-Life on the Coral Islands 



Throughout the year flamingos and pelicans abounded on 

 reefs and islands alike; but no evidence of their breeding 

 thereon was obtained, and the main interest of these notes 

 centres around the birds which did nest and the eggs of which 

 were brought home. These specimens have been examined 

 by Mr A. L. Butler, hence (even though full data were not 

 available) little doubt can exist in the following identifications : 



REEF-HERON (Ardea gularis) Found nesting on lo-foot 

 mangroves on Entufash Island ; also on Kotunbul x where 

 there grow stunted trees never exceeding 8 feet; and on East 

 Komari the latter a flat coral isle covered with dense bush 

 and cacti (prickly pear). In each case the reef-herons' nests 

 resembled those of pigeons, but were larger ; and the eggs pale 

 greenish-blue. East Komari, though but half a mile in circuit, 

 entirely waterless, and 4 miles out at sea, was shared by 

 thousands of doves the only islet of this group where doves 

 were seen to breed. The two neighbours, however doves and 

 herons maintain strictly separate colonies. Some terns (Sterna 

 ancBsthetd] also breed on East Komari, and a small snake was 

 killed thereon. 



SPOONBILL (Platalea leucorodid}. On Kotunbul spoonbills 

 built their nests untidy bundles of sticks on the low stunted 

 trees aforesaid, usually within 3 or 4 feet of the ground ; other 

 nests were on the rocks or on low samphire-like bushes. 



GREEN BITTERN (Butorides atricapilla, or brevipes\ Among 

 and beneath tumbled rocks only a few feet above sea-level on 



1 Kotunbul lies about 100 miles north of Kamaran. It has a red lava 

 peak about 300 feet high with a crater-like formation (the caves of which 

 swarmed with bats) on one side, and flanked by sandy beaches and coral 

 reefs on the other. The whole islet is but a mile in circumference. 



