196 BAHAMA BIRD-LIFE 



The Sooty's common flight note is a squeaky quack and a 

 clearly enunciated, high pitched ker-wacky-wack. Nesting- 

 birds when disturbed uttered a sharp barking note, chang- 

 ing to a long-drawn, aggressive squawk, suggesting the 

 notes of an annoyed brooding hen. Indeed, as one crawled 



Noddy in Flight 



through the more or less open spaces beneath the bushes 

 with birds protesting or retreating, oue seemed to have in- 

 vaded a densely populated hen-yard. 



As the onhy Tern with a rounded, instead of forked tail, 

 the Noddy might be expected to differ in flight from other 

 members of its family. In fact, it suggested, when in the 

 air, a light-bodied, long-winged, long-tailed Pigeon. They fly 

 rapidly, never hovering with the Sooties, and they were 

 often seen pursuing each other high in the air in what were 

 doubtless mating flights. 



Sooty Terns in flight are much like Common Terns 

 and, when alarmed, they have the Common Tern's habit of 

 hanging in the air above their nests. Because of their com- 

 parative tameness and of the steadiness of the easterly 

 trade wind, an admirable opportunity was presented to ob- 

 serve these birds in the air at close range. So even was the 

 breeze that the birds, all facing it, seemed to be suspended 



