. The birds of Iona & Mull . ed in this muddy soil thatthe Petrels make their nest. These banks are perforated bynumbers of holes, having the size and appearance of rabbitburrows. If one of these is carefully cut out with a spade, two,or sometimes three, very small apertures, no larger than mouseholes, are discovered opening out of this large entrance, whichserves as a lobby to as many distinct Petrel residences. Bycontinuing to dig up the course of these minute galleries, whichextend from three to four feet in length, and are at a considerabledepth below the surface, we at last come to a smal
. The birds of Iona & Mull . ed in this muddy soil thatthe Petrels make their nest. These banks are perforated bynumbers of holes, having the size and appearance of rabbitburrows. If one of these is carefully cut out with a spade, two,or sometimes three, very small apertures, no larger than mouseholes, are discovered opening out of this large entrance, whichserves as a lobby to as many distinct Petrel residences. Bycontinuing to dig up the course of these minute galleries, whichextend from three to four feet in length, and are at a considerabledepth below the surface, we at last come to a small nest com-posed of a little dried grass, generally of a sea pink, loosely laidtogether, containing a single white egg; the egg is quite warm,and by searching a little further the bird is sure to be allows itself to be caught and taken up without resistance, onlygiving a faint squeak, and then ejects about a teaspoonful ofthick yellow oil from its bill; the quantity and quality of this 46 THE BIRDS OF IONA AND Qarrdmlf %W&
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectbirdsscotlandhebride