WILD LIFE ACROSS THE WORLD 



flat in the nest, where they harmonised so perfectly 

 with the general tone of the material composing it 

 that they became practically invisible. One of the 

 prettiest sights imaginable was when they stood up 

 again and, catching the breeze blowing in from the 

 sea, opened their wings and danced up and down, 

 allowing the wind to lift them several inches into the 

 air. I managed to get a moving picture of this, and 

 it affords an excellent illustration of how young birds 

 learn to fly. 



We spent the night in a little crib in the bow of 

 our launch. Mosquitoes were very bad here. I had left 

 my mosquito net behind, never thinking I should need 

 it ; but long before dawn I had conceived an immense 

 admiration for the early settlers whose relics we had 

 seen in the museum. They must have had a great deal 

 of grit, or must have committed some very dreadful 

 crime in their own country which prevented them from 

 returning, or they would never have remained in that 

 spot. I had a good many hours in which to think 

 over the matter, for the wretched insects did not allow 

 me a moment's sleep. 



I waited eagerly for the dawn, thinking it would 

 bring reHef ; but, to my intense disgust, found that 

 the mosquitoes, having tasted us, apparently appreciated 

 the flavour and wanted more. In order to get away 

 from the troublesome insects I tried the other side of 

 the island, but although I found a great many ospreys' 



288 



I 



