BRITISH BIRDS, 
170 
them drowned and caft on fhore. Various kinds 
of fifh, fuch as fmall crabs, Ihrimps, fprats, and al- 
fo fea-weeds, are faid to be the food upon which 
they live ; but it is evident, from the ftrudure, great 
ftrength, and fharpnefs of the bill, that they are fur- 
niflied with powers to crufh and pluck out othey 
kinds of Ihell-fiih, which ornithologifts have not no- 
ticed. 
The female makes no nefl ; flie depofits her An- 
gle whitifli coloured egg upon the bare mould, in 
a hole dug out and formed in the ground, by her 
mate and herfelf, for that purpofe; or in thofe 
which they find ready made by the rabbits, whom 
they eafily diflodge. The parent birds are very at- 
tentive to their young, which they will defend to 
the lafl, by feverely biting whatever enemy attempts 
to molefl them, and will fufier themfelves to be ta- 
ken rather than defert them : and yet, notwithftand- 
ing this uncommon attachment, when the day of 
migration comes, the young ones which are not able 
to fly are left behind, and moftly perifh of want, or 
are deflroyed by birds of prey. 
The bite of thefe birds is very fevere : one fent 
to the author in a box covered with netting, caught 
hold of the finger of a poor man, and brought away 
the flefliy part, as if it had been cut out with a knife : 
but they may be tamed, and foon become familiar. 
They are fed on filh and other animal fubflances. 
