238 THE LIFE OF A BIRD. 



instead of the eggs in one nest being those pro- 

 duced by the parent who incubates, a common nest 

 is employed by more than one bird, for the depo- 

 sition of its eggs ; that of the ostrich is said to be 

 not unfrequently filled with the eggs of one or two 

 other birds besides those of the incubating bird. A 

 somewhat analogous instance is related by Audubon 

 of a sort of partnership in incubation. In his 

 account of the laughing-gull, he states, that he 

 once found a nest formed, as it were, of two, that 

 is, two pairs had formed a nest of nearly double 

 the ordinary size, and the two birds sat close to 

 each other during rainy weather, but separately, 

 each on its own three eggs. He observed that the 

 males, as well as the females, thus concerned in 

 this new sort of partnership, evinced as much 

 mutual fondness as if they were brothers, which 

 indeed they might have been. 



The following account, given by Mr. Kirk, a 

 resident in Tobago, upon the incubation of the 

 crotophaga, furnishes a most remarkable instance 

 of a "common" nest. In September 1843, his at- 

 tention was drawn to a nest of this bird, by the 

 ranger of Buccoo, an estate under his charge. He 

 informed Mr. Kirk, that there was generally one 



