Page:Natural History, Birds.djvu/245

232 room to admit their bodies, and to throw out the earth between their legs. In the present instance the native dug down six times in succession to a depth of six or seven feet, without finding an egg, and at the last attempt came up so exhausted thathe refused to try any more; induced, however, by promised reward, he made a seventh attempt, and to the gratification of his employer, and not less to his own pride and satisfaction, held up an egg, and after a few more exertions, a second: thus proving, observes Mr. Gilbert, how cautious Europeans should be of disregarding the narrations of these poor children of nature.