AFRIC’S CORAL STRAND 
397 
half a mile offshore and extending to 15 miles long by 
6 broad), also held gazelles, which during the midday heat 
lay-up under overhung coral cliffs by the shore. Twenty 
miles north, on Entufash Island (10 miles long, and 15 
from mainland), the gazelles had an additional choice of 
shelter in mangrove swamps. 
Bird-Life on the Coral Islands 
Throughout the year flamingos and pelicans abounded on 
reefs and islands alike; but no evidence of their breeding 
thereon was obtained, and the main interest of these notes 
centres around the birds which did nest and the eggs of which 
were brought home. These specimens have been examined 
by Mr A. L. Butler, hence (even though full data were not 
available) little doubt can exist in the following identifications :— 
Reef-Heron {Ardea gu laris) —Found nesting on io-foot 
mangroves on Entufash Island; also on Kotunbul 1 where 
there grow stunted trees never exceeding 8 feet; and on East 
Komari—the latter a flat coral isle covered with dense bush 
and cacti (prickly pear). In each case the reef-herons’ nests 
resembled those of pigeons, but were larger; and the eggs pale 
greenish-blue. East Komari, though but half a mile in circuit, 
entirely waterless, and 4 miles out at sea, was shared by 
thousands of doves—the only islet of this group where doves 
were seen to breed. The two neighbours, however—doves and 
herons—maintain strictly separate colonies. Some terns ( Sterna 
ancestheta) also breed on East Komari, and a small snake was 
killed thereon. 
Spoonbill {Platalea leucorodid).- —On Kotunbul spoonbills 
built their nests—untidy bundles of sticks—on the low stunted 
trees aforesaid, usually within 3 or 4 feet of the ground; other 
nests were on the rocks or on low samphire-like bushes. 
Green Bittern ( Butorides atricapilla , or brevipes'). —Among 
and beneath tumbled rocks only a few feet above sea-level on 
1 Kotunbul lies about 100 miles north of Kamaran. It has a red lava 
peak about 300 feet high with a crater-like formation (the caves of which 
swarmed with bats) on one side, and flanked by sandy beaches and coral 
reefs on the other. The whole islet is but a mile in circumference. 
