HOW SEA-BIRDS KEEP HOUSE. 159 



one mule, some wild rabbits, and thousands of 

 sea-birds. 



The men tend the lamps of the lighthouse, 

 which stands on the top of the largest island, the 

 mule carries oil and provisions from the boats to 

 the houses, the rabbits eat a coarse weed which 

 grows among the rocks, and the birds keep house 

 and raise their ^^oung ones. 



Their housekeeping is not just what we would 

 expect, for man}^ of them do not take the trouble 

 even to build a nest. Others build very slightly, 

 of dry weeds and sea-mosses, which they must 

 carefully guard, lest they be stolen by other birds 

 who also wish to set up housekeeping. 



The Murres are the most numerous birds on 

 the islands, and they are the ones which make 

 no nest at all. The mother murre lays one very 

 large green-shelled egg on the bare rock, and at 



SOUTH FARALLO-NE liSLAND. 



