342 



WEB-FOOTED BIRDS. 



dales use as a bladder to float the buoys of their fishing 

 nets. Of the bones they also make tobacco pipes, needle- 

 cases, and other small implements. When caught, however, 

 they defend themselves stoutly with the bill, and utter a 

 harsh and disgusting cry. Early in August they quit these 

 inhospitable climes for the more genial regions of the south, 

 into which they penetrate sometimes as low as the latitude 

 of 67° . 



In Patagonia and the Falkland Islands, they are known 

 to breed, but not in the northern hemisphere to which they 

 probably migrate only in quest of food. They repair to this 

 southern extremity of the American continent about the 

 time they kave the northern regions, being seen at the close 

 of September and beginning of October (the spring of this 

 hemisphere) associated to breed with other birds of similar 

 habits. The nests are made on the ground with earth and 

 sedge ; of a round conic form, elevated to the height of 

 three feet, leaving a hollow in the summit for the egg, for 

 they lay but one, which is larger than that of a goose, white, 

 with dull spots at the larger end ; and is good food, the 

 white never growing hiard with boiling. While the female 

 is sitting, the male is constantly on the wing, and supplies 

 her with food : during this time, they are so tame as to 

 allow themselves to be pushed off the nest, while their eggs 

 are taken. But their most destructive enemy is the Hawk, 

 who steals the e^2. whenever the female removes from it. 

 x4.s soon as the young are able to leave the nest,' the Pen- 

 guins take possession of it, and without farther preparation 

 hatch their young in turn. 



The Albatross thouo-h so large a bird suffers itself to be 

 teased and harassed while on the wing by the Skua Gull 

 or Lestris, from which it often alone finds means to es- 

 cape by settling down into the water, but never attempts 

 resistance. 



