File:Nests and eggs of Australian birds, including the geographical distribution of the species and popular observations thereon (1901) (14564723108).jpg

Identifier: nestseggsofaustr02camp (find matches)
Title: Nests and eggs of Australian birds, including the geographical distribution of the species and popular observations thereon
Year: 1901 (1900s)
Authors: Campbell, Archibald James, 1853-
Subjects: Birds -- Eggs Australia Birds -- Nests Australia Birds -- Australia
Publisher: Sheffield, Printed for the author by Pawson & Brailsford
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
about forty nests, and the smallest only six. They built,in some instances, on the rocky ledges of the cliff, at various heights;but the larger number were on the top of the island, near the edge of thecliff. The rocky groiuid at the rookeiy was quite bare of vegetation,and mostly covered with white g^ano. The male and female sit on thenest in turn, and on one occasion I saw a male bird take the place of afemale, who- then flew off to sea. Tliere is vei-y little difference between the appearance of the maleand female—the grey colom-ation on the side of the neck being slightlydarker, and the yellow markings on the beak brighter in the male—but I did not notice any material difference in their size. The breadthacross the wings, when stretched out, was eight ^fcet from tip to tip.Frequently, when one bird is on the nest, its mate win be seen sittingclose alongside, and they cackle one tO the other and rub their beakstogether. Again, when two strange birds meet, they stretch out their
Text Appearing After Image:
oo H < NESTS AXD ItGGS OF AUSTKA/./A.V h/ADS. g^l necks, make a loud cackling noise, and, spreading- out their tails, leanforward and put tlieir he;ids several times first on one side and then onthe other side of each otlier ; and when a bird makes its way throughthe colony, cverj sitting bird that it passes makes a lunge at it with openbeak, and it has to i-un the gaimtlet while passing through. The nests are situated at varying distances one from the other, froma foot upwards, some on the giound and othere again on the unevenside or top of a point of rock. Some of the birds had evidently comeon shore to rest only, while a few of them had their heads tiuned backand partially under their wings, and were asleep. Wlien one wished to fly, it had to walk to the edge of the cliff andgo off with a downward sweep; but when the wind was blowing veiystrong tlie bird could then rise, facing it, from a. point of rock. Onebird was found in a depression about 60 feet across and 30 feet deep,wit

Note About Images