422 THE LACCADIVES AND THE WEST COAST. 
jungle here and there interspersed with a few large Cotton and 
Terminalia trees. 
On the rocks at the base of the cliffs were huge water-worn 
fragments of Porites, Madrepora and other reef corals, but I 
could discover none iz situ, though some there must be some 
where near, as masses, such as we saw, could not have been moved 
across deep water. 
Climbing up the steep sides, the moment we reached the trees, 
the Asokh (Saraca indica, L.; Jonesia asoka, Roxb.) with its 
innumerable bunches of fiery orange coloured flowers, attracted 
the eye. I have often seen this tree in flower elsewhere, but 
never beariug anything like the same mass of blossom; the 
whole copse seemed in some places ablaze with it. Beneath the 
trees a green and many fingered fern (Acrostichum virens, var 
terminans, Wall.) crept and trailed, while high up the bright 
baybrown fronds of the Oak-leaf fern (Polypodium quer cifolium, 
L.) rigid and glistening, formed coronet-like tufts. 
A huge cotton tree, bearing a huge stick nest, drew me to its but- 
tressed base. The nest was tenantless, but on one great bare arm 
composedly gazing far over the blue waves beneath, sat a grand 
old Sea Eagle. In the full glare of the noontide sun, his snowy 
breast shone out with dazzling brightness. The delicate pearly 
grey of back and wings glistened with an almost silvery sheen. 
There was an indescribable something in his firm, erect, atti- 
tude conveying a sense of majesty and power; he seemed so 
strong and bold and beautiful, that I had not the heart to 
shoot him, and then, presto, whether he caught sight of me or 
whether it was something below that attracted him, I cannot 
say, but he leant for ward, half opened his wings and shot 
Dp eae like an arrow, and in a second, was hidden from 
me by the tops of trees that grew below. 
However, I had come to Pigeon Island, specially to secure 
a really good series of this Hale, which though, every where 
seen, is ever hard to procure, and during the two days I re- 
mained here, I procured some fifteen splendid specimens. 
Each of the very large trees on the island, (perhaps 35 in 
number,) bore one great stick nest ; on two trees only I observed 
a couple of nests. The majority of the nests were empty—the 
birds probably laying towards the close of December—but in 
three nests, I found young ones, a pair in each, just ready, but not 
quite able to fly—of these I preserved one.* Two others, I 
shot, very similar in plumage, but flying strong and well. 
Others, again, just a year older, and numerous perfect adults. 
* See for description, infra p. 461. 
