THE LESSEE NODDY 



83 



of coral and shells, and usually u^jon tufts of grass, about a foot 

 from the ground. The American Noddy lays two eggs. 



The Lesser Noddy. 



Micranous tenuirostris. 



Masoarene Island to Torres Strait and Australia. 



Forehead and crown greyish-white, above and in front of the eye 

 a black half circlet, followed by a minute white eyelid streak and then 

 a small black spot, below the eye white; cheeks grey; nape pale grey. 





From life. 



A.. J. Campbell. 

 Lesser Noddy Nesting in Mangrove (Houtman's Abrolhos) : Micranous tenuirostris. 



darkening on sides of neck; throat nearly black, mantle and tail brownish 

 grey; primaries blackish; underparts sooty brown; bill black. Total 

 length 12 inches, culmen 1.8, wing 8.3, tail 4.7, tarsus 0.9. 



They build in colonies. The nest is usually made of seaweed, 

 sometimes of land vegetation, situated on mangrove and other 

 bushes or on ledges of rocks ; loose masses of weed often hang 

 down from the nest. The single egg is pale-cream colour, with 

 a few reddish-brown markings, mostly on the larger end, those 

 beneath the surface being purplish-grey. They measure about 

 1.80 X 1.22 inch. These birds nest in vast companies on the 

 Houtman's Abrolhos. 



