78 Bird - Lore
they suffered very seriously. no measures being taken by the latter to punish those who made raids on the birds' eggs.
During the first week in May. some years at the end of April, the Noddies (Axum: .i'lo/ir/us) arrive. The first day will bring from a dozen to a score of individuals. the next two or three times as many. On the third and fourth days the number is beyond accurate count. and by the end of the week it is probable that the entire colony has arrived. As nearly as can be judged it contains about three thousand individuals
It is believed that all matrimonial matters have been arranged before
the birds arrive, for within a day after the arrival of the earliest birds nest-building was begun.
The Noddy's nest is a bulky, but fairly compactly constructed one. made principally of twigs and dry seaweed, but they are prone to incorporate almost anything of suitable size or shape—rags. bits of glass, old crab shells. etc The top is only slightly concave, without downy lining. but frequently has several dozen small shells strewn loosely about.
By preference, the nest is situated well toward the center of a bay cedar bush. three to four feet from the ground. but before long all the favorable building sites are taken and then the birds build almost at randome—some on tufts of grass only a few inches above the ground. These nests are apparently very hastily constructed and the workmanship
