344 CORAL AND ATOLLS 



does not come to the Southern group. The face is black, and 

 the bh'd is considerably larger than the other two species. 

 One or two eggs are laid on the bare ground. The black mask 

 gives the sitting bird a very curious appearance, and it leaves 

 its egg only after having, with great solemnity, vomited large 

 quantities of fish ; it makes no attempt to resist being pushed 

 from the egg, and when the egg is taken, and the fish has 

 been vomited, it quietly walks away. No skin was obtained. 



(11) SuLA PiscATEix, Linn. 

 Native name, Burung main main. 



The commonest of the three species, and generally called 

 " Booby " by sailors in these seas. Exists in very great 

 numbers, and is seen in all the many age changes of plumage, 

 from a uniform light brown to white. It lays one egg, in a 

 nest placed, as a rule, high up in trees ; but numbers build on 

 Pcmphis bushes in Keeling. The birds commonly perch on 

 trees, and are often taken from the rigging of ships. 



Suborder Phaethontes. 



(12) Phaethon eubricauda, Bodd. 

 Native name, BiLrung huntut. 



Does not exist in great numbers, but still breeds in Pulu 

 Atas. This species, as well as P. fiilvus, is to be seen every- 

 where between the atoll and Java Heads. 



Passeriformes. 

 Fam. Ploceidj^:. 



Dr. H. O. Forbes mentions Ploccus hyijoxantlms as one of 

 the nesting species of the atoll ; but no examples of it exist 

 to-day. 



(13) MUNIA ORYZIVORA, Bp. 



Native name, Burung glatek. 



Introduced, and has multiplied greatly; it is now one of 

 the commonest birds of the atoll. 



