56 
The Birds on Buena Vista Lake. 
tion. After paddling on a little further, I tied up in a hunch 
of tules, well inside the main belt, here about one hundred 
\ards wide. As yet the wind had not reached me, but to ihe 
iu)rth there was a sound as of very heavy rain, and f could 
I'lainly see the white bodies of Pelicans and Gulls against the 
deep Ijlack of th(i sky as they made for sludter. In a very 
short time I could see white tips to the waves in the distance 
and then down came the wind Avith terrific force, and in less 
than ten minutes there was a heavy sea outside the line of 
tules; even in my shelter there was a heavy swell. Gulls, 
Ducks, and \Vaders of all kinds were driven past me in 
hundi'eds, having apparently lost all control over their move- 
n:ents, and I guite thought for some time that I and my 
boat would be driven after them. So great was the force 
of the wind that the water was driven back over the prairie 
for over two miles. When I tied up my boat I was within 
fifty yards of the land, and nov,' I couldn't see wiiere the water 
ended; all this time there wasn't a droj) of rain, the darkness 
of the atmosphere being caused by driving sand. It was a 
very unpleasant experience, but luckily didn't last long, as 
within an hour the sun was again visible and the Avind had 
dropped to a light breeze, As the pressure of the wind les- 
sened the water began to flow back from the land, leaving 
a sea of mud. In this many thousands of fish and fry were 
left stranded and very soon all the Gulls and Terns on the 
lake were busy feasting on them. Of the Terns there were 
two varieties. One grey and white with a black cap to its 
head, like our English bird, and the other much darker, pos- 
sibly the Sooty Tern. The water outside was very rough, 
but by keeping inside the tules, I was able to make fair pro- 
gress, although the swell made the terrier sea-sick. Waders 
were very numerous, exploiting the newly wetted ground, 
where no doubt they found much rich diet. I noticed amongst 
the Avocets and Stilts a considerable flock of Bar-tailed 
Godwiti, not a very common bird on Buena Vista. Tlie storm 
had brought in its track an unusual number of birds of prey. 
They evidently expected to find a lot of woundetl and crij)pled 
birdi, and I have no doubt that very many of the smaller 
Ducks and "\\"aders were disabled. Very noticeable amongst 
them was the Harrier, with its slaty blue back. Several 
