BIRDS' NESTS. 69 



by picking a small hole with their bills. This 

 hole they gradually enlarged by moving round 

 and round, and edging off the sand with the 

 side of their bills, which they kept shut. 

 Their progress at first was slow, but after 

 they had obtained room to stand in the exca- 

 vation, they proceeded very rapidly, working 

 within with their bills, and carefully pushing 

 out the loosened sand with their feet. At 

 one time the male, at another the female, was 

 the excavator. When their burrowing was 

 impeded by the resistance of a stone, or any 

 other obstruction, if unsuccessful in their 

 efforts to remove it, they left the cell, and 

 commenced digging a new one. They en- 

 gaged in these exercises only for a short time 

 each morning, as they abandoned themselves 

 to enjoyment throughout the day. The nests 

 were deposited at the ends of the cells, the 

 depth and direction of which varied much. 

 Some extended three feet, others not more 

 than six inches ; some were horizontal, some 



