1909.] FAUNA OF COCOS-KEELING ATOLL, 139 
cream-coloured, mottled and streaked with olive-brown. It is 
laid on the branch of a tree (Pisonia inermis, Cordia subcordata, 
Guettarda speciosa) wherever a slight irregularity in the bark 
suffices to hold it steady (see text-fig. 7). In all the cases that I 
have seen the egg was laid in the long axis of the branch, and the 
parent bird sits across the branch in the process of incubation. 
From the fact that three nesting sites were used twice over, it 
would seem as though the suitable branches for balancing the egg 
were somewhat limited. The birds take it in turn to sit, or rather 
stand, on the egg, and they invariably leave it by falling backwards 
Text-fig. 8. 
Gygis candida sitting on its egg. 
This is the same ege as is shown in text-fig. 7. 
off the branch, in order not to disturb it with their feet; great 
caution is taken in getting into position on the egg again (see text- 
fig.8). Incubation lasts 36 days; the newly hatched young is buff- 
brown, and it does not move from the tree until it has assumed 
its white feathers. A bird hatched on Sept. 3rd, 1905, did not 
move from the site of its hatching till Oct. 22nd; it then moved 
higher up the branch, andremained, with slight changes of position, 
till Nov. 12th, when it took its first flight (see text-fig. 9, p. 142). 
Many eggs were watched and in no case did any accident befall 
them, but a young bird, hatched on Noy. 17th, fell from its insecure 
