340 CORAL AND ATOLLS 



and streaked with olive-brown. It is laid on the branch of 

 a tree {Pisonia imrmis, Cordia siibcordata, Guettarda speciosa) 

 wherever a slight irregularity in the bark suffices to hold 

 it steady. In all the cases that I have seen the egg was 



Fig. 77. 



Egg of Gygis ccmdUla, laid on the Branch of a 

 Gkongang Tkee {Cordia suhcordata). 



laid in the long axis of the branch, and the parent bird sat 

 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 e%g 

 were soinewhat limited. The birds take it in turn to sit, or 

 rather stand, on the egg, and they invariably leave it by falling 

 backwards off the branch, in order not to disturb it with their 

 feet ; great caution is taken in getting into position on the 



