674 MEGALOPTERUS STOLIDUS. 



Habits. — A very good aecovint of tlie breeding habits 

 of this bird is that given by INIr. Audubon, from -vvliom I 

 obtained the specimens which have supplied the above de- 

 scription. " About the beginning of May, the Noddies col- 

 lect from all parts of the Gulf of Mexico and coasts of Flo- 

 rida, for the purpose of returning to their breeding-places, on 

 one of the Tortugas called Noddy Key. They form regular 

 nests of twigs and dry grass, which they place on the bushes 

 and low trees, but never on the ground. On visiting their 

 island on the 11th of May 1832, I Avas surprised to see that 

 many of them were repairing and augmenting nests that had 

 remained through the winter, while others were employed in 

 constructing new ones, and some were already sitting on their 

 eggs. In a great many instances, the repaired nests formed 

 masses nearly two feet in height, and yet all of them had only 

 slight hollow for the eggs, broken shells of which Avere 

 found among the entire ones, as if they had been purposely 

 placed there. The birds did not discontinue their labours, 

 although there were nine or ten of us walking among the 

 bushes ; and when we had gone a fe^v yards into the thicket, 

 thousands of them flew quite low over us, some at times 

 coming so close as to enable us to catch a few of them with 

 the hand.. On one side might be seen a Noddy carrying a 

 stick in its bill, or a bird picking up something from the 

 ground to add to its nest ; on the other, several were seen 

 sitting on their eggs, unconscious of danger, while their mates 

 brought them food. The greater part rose on wing as we 

 advanced, but re-alighted as soon as w-e had passed. The 

 bushes were rarely taller than ourselves, so that Ave could 

 easily see the eggs in the nests. This Avas quite a new sight 

 to me, and not less pleasing than unexpected. 



" The Noddy, like most other species of Terns, lays three 

 eggs, which average tAvo inches in length, by an inch and 

 three-eighths in breadth, and are of a reddish-yellow colour, 

 spotted and patched Avith dull red and faint purple. They 

 afford excellent eating, and our sailors seldom fiiih^d to col- 

 lect bucketfuls of them daily during our stay at the Tortugas. 

 The Avreckers assured me that the young birds remained along 

 Avith the old through rhe Avinter, in Avhich respect the Noddy, 



