THE CONDOR 
VOL. VI 
one will take the time to snap it in several different poses for I intend to mount 
one in that attitude some day and will need photographic evidence that it is not a 
purel}’ theoretical position. The manner in which he lifts his feet and puts them 
down in the same place, with swaying, downcast head and a suggestion of being a 
bold, bad individual is worthy of prolonged effort to reproduce. Another excel- 
lent subject is a large flock of Neboux boobies diving in unison for fish. This 
picture can be easily obtained on a little bay in Albemarle Island and I shall al- 
ways be sorry that limited time prevented me from getting it while we were 
anchored there. 
The variegated booby, a larger bird than Sida neboi/xi is an easy subject for 
the photographer as it nests usually on the edge of high cliffs above the ocean. 
Sometimes a refractory bird proves obdurate and leaves much to be guessed at in 
the picture, but often the expenditure of a little time and patience yields abundant 
fruit. I recall one instance when I wanted a picture showing different ages and 
plumages. The half grown booby that I wanted particularly with a pleasant ex- 
pression on his face, v\ as very troublesome. After getting the camera placed and 
NEBOUX BOOBY 
properly focused showdng an old bird and her downy young I started to pose the 
youngster w^ho didn’t w'ant his picture ‘took.’ I fussed and fumed while he con- 
tinually hopped and moved around everywdiere but the right place. Once he got 
too near the old lady on the nest and she proceeded to chastise him in a manner 
that afforded me infinite satisfaction. After being thoroughly mauled by her he 
managed to struggle up on his perch but even then he disdained to turn his 
face toward the camera and I had to take the back of his head. During the fracas 
the camera wms slightly moved and failed to get in the whole of an interested fri- 
gate bird that I wished to show owing to her proximity to the nesting booby. The 
young booby being fed is a subject I did not get, the camera alw'ays being on ship- 
board w'hen I saw the process, but still better than this will be the picture of an 
old pelican feeding its two or three young. Perhaps some one in America has al 
ready obtained pictures of this seemingly suicidal operation for the pelican is much 
commoner there than in the Galapagos. 
Webster boobies {Sttla wchstcri) nest entirely in bitshes and trees on the Galap- 
agos Islands and jrictures showing all phases of their life are readily obtained. .An 
