264 LOST AND VANISHING BIRDS 



no teiTicr can catch them. On my first arrival in 

 Aldabra, in Soptomber, a few pairs were breeding ; 

 but the majority did not breed until November and 

 December, when a heavy rainfall occurred. Some- 

 times the nest is placed in a shallow cavity in the 

 coral rock, being simply a few dry leaves and sticks ; 

 sometimes it is a large loose mass as big as a half- 

 bushel basket, a foot or two from the ground, and 

 placed in a dense tangle of grass and euphorbia. 

 In this case the cavity is very deep, only the head 

 being visible as the bird sits upon her eggs. The 

 number of eggs laid, as a rule, is three ; one nest 

 contained four ; some were said to sometimes con- 

 tain more, but I did not meet with any. I was 

 unable to ascertain the period of incubation, or to 

 obtain any very young specimens. The hen sits 

 very closely, and can scarcely be driven off her eggs, 

 returning immediately on the departure of the 

 intruder." Bendire describes the eggs of this 

 Rail as follows : " The shell of these eggs is strong, 

 finely granulated, and moderately glossy, and in 

 shape they vary fi-oin ovate to elongate ovate. The 

 ground colour is creamy white, sparingly dotted 

 with fine sp(;ts of liver brown, vinaceous, and 

 lavender, which are usually heaviest about the 

 larger end of the egg." 



