64 MUTTON BIRDS 



Tlie nests are not open to daylight, but con- 

 cealed in rocky crevices, caves, or if in the 

 bush in burrows scraped out beneath rotting 

 logs or amongst the knotted roots of living trees. 

 These burrows are never deep, and vary in 

 length from a couple of feet to four feet, and 

 often a number are in the same locality, though 

 by no means always close to one another. The 

 nest is a fairly substantial structure, consisting 

 of a base of large sticks and twigs, whilst above 

 them lie a sufficiency of the thick, leathery, 

 water-proof leaves of the mutton bird scrub. 

 Two eggs, hen size, make up the clutch; and 

 sometimes an egg, when quite fresh, is stained 

 at the thicker end with a minute patch, diffused 

 but distinct, of brightish green. This little blotch 

 seems to be an integral part of the egg, and not 

 an accidental extraneous marking. The eggs, 

 which do not seem to be laid immediately after 

 one another, become after a few days' incubation 

 much discoloured with peat and dirt. 



The vestibules of the burrows discovered had 

 of course to be removed before the bird could 

 be seen; but if they were carefully re-covered 

 with sufficient fern tree fronds, desertion of the 

 nest was rare ; and several of these passages were 

 thus twice unroofed without harm. The bird can 

 then be seen in the dim light making a small 

 occasional movement of the chin as if swallowing 

 on a dry throat. 



The Blue Penguin is most irascible when 

 excited and disturbed in its burrow; and acts 

 not only on the offensive but makes sorties of 

 three or four feet from its eggs, and grasps with 

 a ferocious grip the cap or hat guarding the 

 digger's hands. The object thus seized is taken 



