32 



A NATUliALlST'S WANDERING 8 



conditions under wliicli tliey found themselves. The settlers 

 would be rendered supremely happy if such eoiiditions would 

 by any meaiis prove prejudicial to the rats— the sole livin-^ 

 creature unwelcome to their isknd home, — whose fecundity is 

 becoming appal liu*^, for every vessel that calls serves to infuse 

 only fresh blood and vigour into the race. 



Occasionally flying foxes (Pteropus) reach the atoll, but 

 hitherto in t*J0 exhausted a state to survive. Once a pair 

 arrived together; but both, unfortunately, soon died. It is 

 not improbable that some day, through the favourable cir- 

 cumstance of an unusually strong and healthy pair shaping 

 their course Keeling-wards, they may yet survive the arduous 

 journey, and the atoll And them some morning added to its 

 fauna. What has only just failed here, has doubtless suc- 

 ceeded in other oceanic islands, with diflerent volant species. 



Bird life was limited, but very interesting. Graceful 

 Noddies (Amus sioUdm) and Gannets (Suh piscatrix) were 

 in thousands ; and I had the satisfaction of watching ivhat has 

 been over and over described, but was new to me, how their 

 industrious habits are taken advantage of by the swift-winged 

 Frigate- birds. Hiding in the lee of the cocoa-nut trees, the 

 Tachypetes would sally out on the successful fishers returning 

 in the evening, and perpetrate a yigorous assault on them 

 till they disgorged for their behoof at least a share of their 

 supper, which they caught in mid-air as it fell. Such feelings 

 of reprobation as I ought to have felt at their conduct was, I 

 fear, not very deep ; for the swoop after the falling spoil was so 

 elegant an evolution, that, I confess,! always hopefl that the poor 

 Noddy would give up as heavy a morsel as possible, in order to 

 necessitate a correspondingly eager dive after it. Eefractory 

 Gannets were often seized by the tail by the Frigate-birds, and 

 treated to a shake that rarely failed of successful results- 

 Fierce foes as they were in the air, on tet-ra firma they roosted 

 near each other like the best of friends. They breed only on 

 North Keeling, and during that season the bare skin of the 

 throat is of a very rich scarlet colour. They are powerful 

 fliers, and can head against even a gale by fciking in a reef in 

 their long wings, so as to exjx^se ouly the greater fjuills to it^ 

 force. 



The Tuchj/petes minor used to nest in the bushes at Pvtnphh 



