IN THE COCOS-KEELma ISLANDS. 33 



acidula on the South Keeling group ; but since the settle- 

 ment, constant interruption from the nut-gatherers has driven 

 it to breed in North Keeling. When brought up from the 

 nest in a state of semi-captivity, they can be trained to aid in 

 the capture of their fellows, wliich are much used as food by 

 the settlers. 



A hunter wishing to shoot a few of these birds, throws out 

 within gunshot on the surface of the water a piece of attractive 

 bait, which the tame Frigate-bird swoops down, almost osten- 

 tatiously, time after time, to pick up. Several of its hungry 

 brethren, always hanging about, soon make their appearance 

 to struggle for a share ; after two or three gyrations, the eager 

 stranger swoops down for the tempting morsel, the decoy 

 soars out of reach, while his unfortunate dupe falls a victim. 

 If the others take flight, the same tactics will be followed 

 again and again by the decoy, who exhibits no alarm at the 

 report of the gun or the death throes of its companions. 



The white, satin-feathered Tropic-bird {Phaeton candidus) 

 was far from uncommon ; but being a very liigh flier it «as 

 difficult to secure specimens of it. I was happy, nevertheless, 

 to be able to examine in the flesh one, at least, of these 

 beautiful creatures. It must possess wonderfully acute powers 

 of sight, for when sailing along at a great elevation, I have 

 seen it s^iddenly descend like an arrow, disappear below the 

 surface of the sea, and in a few moments soar up with its prey 

 in its mouth. 



On West Island two species of Heron {Herodias mgripes, and 

 Demiegretta sacra) nested on the high Pisonia trees, and, as I 

 have said above, often died from the number of the glutinous 

 seeds which clogged their feathers. The Australian Night- 

 heron (Nydieorax cahdonicus) builds on the same trees. This 

 is the first record of its occurrence so far to the west, and 

 ranging, as it does, from New Caledonia through the Moluc- 

 cas and Timor, some ancestor of its own may, perchance, 

 have carried out thence the seeds of the trees on which it now 

 builds, just as its own young may be now distributing them 

 to distant isles. 



The most engaging of all the birds was our little pilot, the 

 pure white Tern {Qygis Candida) so chastely spoken of by Mr. 

 Darwin. As the swallow is to us, such a pet is this bird to 



