254 THE LIFE OF A BIRD. 



and at the last came up in such a state of ex- 

 haustion that he refused to make the attempt 

 again. He was induced, however, to do so, and 

 the seventh time he came up triumphantly hold- 

 ing up an egg, and presently found another. 



Mr. Gilbert describes one mound as of enormous 

 proportions. It was fifteen feet in height, and 

 sixty in circumference at the base, the upper part 

 being a third less, and was entirely composed of 

 the richest description of light vegetable mould. 

 He and a native immediately set to work, and 

 after an hour's extreme labour, rendered the more 

 exhausting from the excessive heat and the tor- 

 menting attacks of myriads of musquitos and 

 sand flies, an egg was procured from a depth 

 of about five feet. It was in a perpendicular 

 position, with the earth surrounding and very 

 lightly touching it on all sides, and without any 

 other material to impart warmth, which, in fact, 

 did not appear necessary, the mound being quite 

 warm to the hands. Like most of these mounds, 

 it was so enveloped in thickly foliaged trees, as 

 to preclude the possibility of the sun's rays reach- 

 ing any part of it. 



The mounds differ very much in their com- 



