32 CONFESSIONS OF A BEACHCOMBER 



melaleuca trees. Mung-um-gnackum and Kumboola, to 

 the south-west, are linked at low-water spring tides to 

 Dunk Island and to each other ; and Wooln-garin, to the 

 south-east, is separated from the rocky cliffs and ledges of 

 the island by 300 yards of deep and swiftly-flowing 

 water. 



Purtaboi — dainty and unique — its hill crowned with 

 low-growing trees and shrubs, a ruddy precipice, groups of 

 pandanus palms, beach lined with casuarinas, banks of 

 snow-white coral debris, ridge of sharped-edged rocks 

 jutting out to the north-western cove and out-lying reef of 

 coral, tangle of orchids and scrub all in miniature — save the 

 orchids — gigantic and gross and profuse of old-gold bloom. 

 In October and November hosts of sea-birds come hither 

 to nest, and so also do nutmeg or Torres Straits pigeons, 

 blue doves, peaceful doves, honey-eaters, wood-swallows, 

 the blue reef heron, and occasionally the little black 

 cormorant. The large-billed shore plover {Esacus mag- 

 nirostris) deposits her single ^%^ on the sand, merely care- 

 lessly whisking aside the casuarina needles for its reception. 



Hundreds of terns (six species) lay their eggs among 

 the tinkling coral chips, and discarding all attempts at 

 concealment, practise artistic deception. So perfect is the 

 artifice that the eggs are frequently the least conspicuous 

 of the elements of the banks of drift, broken coral and 

 bleached shells. Not until each square yard is steadfastly 

 inspected can they be detected, though there may be 

 dozens around one's feet, the colours — creamy white with 

 grey and brown and purple spots, and blotches and scrib- 

 blings — blending perfectly with their environment. The 

 eggs, by the way, are a great delicacy, sweet, nutty, and abso- 

 lutely devoid of fishy flavour. When the downy young are 

 hatched they, too, are almost invisible. They cunningly 

 lie motionless, though within a few inches of your hand, 

 and remain perfectly passive when lifted. Snoodling 

 beside lumpsof corafor beneath weather-beaten drift-wood, 

 they afford startling proof of the effect of sympathetic 

 coloration. When one stoops to pick up a piece of wood, 



