92 NATURAL HISTORY [Birds. 



I suppose), with a cast of green ; the edges of the eyelids, 

 and the irides, are a fine red ; part of the breast, the belly, 

 and rump are white ; the lower part of the tail is white, and 

 the upper black. The quill-feathers are curiously marked 

 with white from the three outermost, where it prevails least, 

 but gradually encroaching, seizes the whole of the innermost ; 

 the legs and feet are flesh-coloured, rather clumsily made ; 

 the toes broad, and the outermost of these connected by a 

 membrane, which is of excellent use to hinder these birds 

 from sinking into the sand ; the claws are dusky, short, and 

 seemingly much worn by continually scrambling about the 

 rocks in search of its limpet food. 



The sea-pie is at very little pains about its nest ; a hollow 

 of the next rock, or between two stones, with an artificial 

 hollow scraped by itself, lined with a few bits of grass, or 

 sometimes with her own dung, serves the purpose. On this, 

 or often on the bare rock, she lays four eggs, of an olive co- 

 lour, spotted with darker blotches of the same. 



