; the next four eggs in succession are placed in the interstices, but always in the same plane, so that at last there is a circle of eight eggs all standing upright in the sand with several inches of sand intervening between each. The male bird assists the female in opening and covering up the mound; and provided the birds are not themselves disturbed, the female continues to lay in the same mound, even after it has been several times robbed. The natives say that the females lay an egg every day.
“Eight is the greatest number I have heard of from good authority as having been found in one nest; but I opened a mound which had been previously robbed of several eggs, and found that two had been laid opposite to each other in the same plane in the usual manner; and a third deposited in a plane parallel to that in which the other two were placed, but 4½ inches below them. This circumstance led me to imagine it was possible that there might be sometimes successive circles of eggs in different planes.
“I enclose three sketches which will convey to you a complete idea of the form of the mound, and of the manner in which the eggs are placed in it. These sketches were drawn by Mr. Knight, from a rude one of mine, and are very accurate.
No. 1.
This sketch represents a section through the mound after the sand has been cleared out in
such a manner that the eggs could all be removed, and the bottom of the nest of leaves be laid
bare. It shows the form of the opening the natives make in the mound when they rob it of its
eggs; this opening has however been continued below where the eggs are placed, in order to
show the form of the interior nest.
The pale tint represents that portion which is made of sand; the darker tint the part which is
made of leaves, &c.
No. 2.
This sketch represents a section through the mound in its undisturbed state; the pale tint
indicates the portion of sand, the darker tint the leaves, &c.
No. 3.
This sketch shows a bird’s eye view of the mound as seen from
above; the sand is supposed to have been so far thrown out as to
leave the tops of the eggs exposed, and to show them standing
upright in their relative positions.