I i 4 4 J
in one nefl: together; with two females*;
who agree remarkably well together*
The whole time o f laying continues fix
or feven weeks, and they are fond of
laying three times in different places *
in the two firft, both the eggs and
down are taken away; but in the lail
place this is feldom done. Thofe to
whom one o f thefe places belong, vifit
it at leail once a week.
When they come to the neft; they
firft carefully remove the female, and
then take away the fuperiiuous down
and eggs, after which they replace the
female on the remaining ones, when
ihe begins to lay afrefli, and covers
her eggs with new down which ilie
has plucked from herfeJf: when ilie
has no more down left, the male
comes to her aififtance, and covers the
eggs with his down, which is white,
and eafily diftinguiflied from the female’s
; wliere it is left till the young
ones are hatched, who in an hour
afterwards quit the iieft together with
the mother, when it is once more
plundered.
The beil down and die moft eggs are
got during the firft three weeks of their
5 laying;
I H 5 ]
laying; and it has in general been ob-
ierved, that they lay the greateft number
o f eggs in rainy weather. As longasthe
female fits, the male is on the watch
near the fliore ; but as foon as the
young are hatched, he leaves them;
but the mother remains with them 2
confiderable time after; and it is curious
to fee how file leads them out o f the neft
as foon as they creep out o f the eggs,
and goes before them to the fliore,
whilft they trip after her ; when flie
comes to the water-fide, ftie takes
them on her back, and fwims with
them for the fpace o f a few yards,
when file dives, and the young ones,
who are left floating on the water, are
obliged to take care o f themfelves.
One feldom fees thefe birds on laud
afterwards, for they geueraliy live in
the damp rocks in the fea, and feed
on infeiffs and fea-weeds.
One female, during the whole time
of laying, generally gives half a pound
of down, which is hpwever reduced
to one half after ft is cleanied.
The down is divided into thattg-duun
(fea-weed down) and gras-duun (grafs
K down).
li I ft; 1 1 ■ , i'