Page:Bird-lore Vol 06.djvu/163

 128 Bird - Lore

all. One of these was killed by; having the tripod leg set down upon it. Another was photographed as he rested between two rocks in the_ water. Every wave lifted him and tossed him against the stone; but he lay absolutely still, with his eye on the invader. Another crawled under a shelving rock,where every wave splashed over him. He looked like a hen caught in a thunder-shower, and must have been very uncomfor- table; but he never budged. These birds were not quiet merely in the sense of being relaxed; they were holding still, with every muscle rigid. The photographer had an experience which illustrates this: One of the birds floating in front of the camera was carried by the water out of the field. The photographer took him by the beak and steered him back into position. He did this repeatedly, and said that the bird held its neck so stiff that it seemed like moving a wooden decoy. He even declared that he could have picked the creature up by the bill and held it out straight and stiff. As he did not try the latter experiment. it is possible that the bird would have remonstrated. The muscular effort involved must, of course, be very great: and one wonders how the birds can maintain it for such a length of time. When ﬁnally aroused, how— ever, they are like the chicks,—ver_\' active. The one held in the hand to be photographed fought ﬁercely with his strong beak and ﬂapped his long wings vigorously until he was released, when he ﬂew away at a great rate.

The day was warm.the heat reﬂected from the rocks oppressive. the stinging ﬂies troublesome—but we were all surprised and disappointed when the rising of all the birds from the island announced afresh arrival, and the grating of 21 boat on the pebbles told us that our friends had come for us. We tried a few farewell shots at some protesting chicks, but succeeded in getting only blurs, indicating their hurried departure from the field of action. Then we climbed into the boat and pushed oﬂ. As we looked back from a distance. the whirling, shrieking cloud sank lower, and the Terns, fully reassured for the ﬁrst time since our arrival in the morning, went back to their homes and their little ones.

We had chosen to watch a few birds closely rather than have a briefer view of a great number. During our stay the other members of the party had visited Big Chicken and Chick Islandi Big Chicken has several good- sized trees and a fisherman's hut. On this island were reported Terns in greater numbers than on Little Chicken and very many Black Terns with the others. The Black Tern is asmaller and less timid bird» lt nests in marshes, and its presence in ﬂocks with the common Tern is hard to explain. It is usually seen about the shores and lowlands and is said to feed entirely on the insects which abound in such places. We had often noticed them ﬂying with the Common Tern over the water, but were surprised to find them here in mid-lake in such numbers.