208 
POPULAR HISTOEY OF BIRDS. 
earth and fragments of coral. These gentlemen opened a 
smaller mound of this bird^ which seemed to be newer and 
more perfect than the other. This mound formed a pretty 
regular cone^ about eight feet high^ on a base seventy-seven 
feet in circumference. Mr. Jukes'^ adds : — Externally it 
seemed to be composed of loose earth and fragments of 
stone^ mixed with pieces of stick. . . . We began digging 
into it about two-thirds of the way up one side^ but found 
the interior so firmly compacted together with sticks and 
stones and roots of trees that it was no easy task ; and after 
working for two or three hours,, we were obliged to get two 
men to assist us. "With their help, we at last cleared off 
three or four feet of earth and got into the interior^ where 
we dug down and presently came upon a broken egg ; this 
was an old one^ the jolk being partly consolidated and 
rotten. We then turned up several spots full of fragments 
of egg-shells. . . . We then took to our hands^ and, by gro- 
ping into a soft spot, we succeeded in finding a perfect egg. 
... It was firmly bedded in the earth, which, just around 
it, was devoid of sticks or stones.''^ They could perceive 
no additional temperature in the centre of this mound. 
The eggs are very large compared with the birds. 
* Narrative of Voyage of Fly, vol. i. p. 147. 
