BRITISH BIRDS, 395 
colour, fpeckled all over with triangular white 
fpots. 
The female makes her nefl in the caverns and 
fiffures, or on the ledges of the lowering precipice, 
as well as on the plain furface of the ground ; it is 
formed of a great quandty of withered grafles and 
fea-weeds of various kinds, gathered with much la- 
bour from the barren foil, * or picked up floating 
about upon the water. She lays three eggs, of 
a white colour, and fomewhat lefs than thofe of a 
Goofe, although ornithologifts aflert that flie will 
lay only one egg, if left to herfelf undifturbed^ and 
that when this egg is taken away flie then lays a 
* ** They continue to pluck grafs for their nefts from their 
coming in March, till the young fowl is ready to fly, in Augufl: 
or September, according as the inhabitants take or leave the 
flrft or fecond eggs. It is remarkable of them that they never 
pluck grafs but on windy days.” — Martin* [It would appear 
from this that they are not fo fuccefsful in taking their prey in, 
boifterous weather as when it is calm.] 
Martin gives an account of the Solan Geefe flealing the ma- 
terials of which they form their neflis, from each other, and de- 
fcribes a battle between two of them in confequence of a theft 
of this kind : the one which had robbed the neft flew towards 
the fea with its load, and returned again as if it had gathered 
the fluff from a different quarter ; but the owner, though at a 
diftance from his neft, had obferved the robbery, and waited the 
return of the thief, which he attacked with the utmoft fury. 
“ This bloody battle was fought above our heads, and proved 
fatal to the thief, who fell dead fo near our boat, that our men 
took him up, and prefently dreffed and eat him.” 
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