256 THE LIFE OF A BIRD. 



the soil is procured in such situations appears un- 

 accountable. It has been said that the parent birds 

 bring it from a great distance ; but this is scarcely 

 probable. Mr. Gilbert conceives that they collect 

 the dead leaves and other vegetable matter that 

 may be at hand, and which in decomposing becomes 

 converted into this particular description of soil. 

 The mounds are doubtless the work of many 

 years, and of many birds in succession. Some of 

 them are evidently very ancient, trees being often 

 seen growing from their sides. In one instance a 

 young tree was found growing from the middle of 

 a mound, which was a foot in diameter. It is dif- 

 ficult to understand how the young make their 

 escape: some say they are assisted by the old birds, 

 which scratch down and release them ; others state 

 that they escape unaided. 



Only a single pair of birds are ever found on 

 one mound at a time. The eggs are said to be 

 deposited at night, and always in the perpendicular 

 direction, and at intervals of several days. The 

 bird is almost exclusively confined to the dense 

 thickets immediately adjacent to the sea beach, 

 and appears never to go far inland, except along 

 the banks of creeks. By means of its powerful 



