HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP, 



113 



mid-air I heard voices above ; the cliff-men had 

 come, and they succeeded in getting the eggs by the 

 help of a hook on the end of a pole, with which the 

 man hauled himself in. They had been there in the 

 forenoon, and only five eggs were then laid : but they 

 had not the pole and hook and could not get the eggs. 

 These same men took two more eggs on iith April 



I don't think it is generally known that puffins 

 breed on the Bill ; I have not seen it mentioned by 

 any Natural History book. Last year I saw six 

 puffins' eggs taken 21st May, and an old bird was 

 caught, and bit the man's hand when he thrust his 

 arm into one of the holes. James B. Young. 



Fig. 82. — Head and Foot of Raven. 



from the first nest, making a total of fourteen eggs 

 laid by the same pair of birds in one year. 



This year I was too late, for on the 26th February 

 I went down and found the nest had been robbed on 

 the 20th by the cliff-men (five eggs). A second nest 

 was made, and five eggs taken by the same men on 

 the 13th March ; and on the 28th March a third nest 

 with five more eggs was taken. Three of the eggs, 

 which I have seen, were light colour— a kind of slate 

 colour— the other two normal. So in 1888 the same 

 birds laid fourteen eggs, and in 1889, fifteen eggs. I 

 have the first six eggs taken by self in 18S8, and the 

 two first clutches taken this year in my possession ; 

 in each clutch one is smaller and of a lighter colour 

 than the others. 



On the loth April the cliff-men took a Peregrine 

 falcon's with four eggs — there was hardly any pre- 

 tence at a nest. The eggs were laid on a ledge of 

 blue clay, and were covered with it. I have two of 

 them now in my cabinet. The birds laid again, and, 

 I believe, hatched out their young ones safely. 



OUR SCIENTIFIC DIRECTORY. 



[The Editor will be obliged, if, for the benefit of his numerous, 

 readers, secretaries of scientific societies will send notices like 

 the following, also place and time of meeting.] 



iryEDFORD Amateur Natural History Society: 

 J-J President, Dr. Crick ; Hon. Secretary, H. 

 Darrington ; place and time of meeting, 6, Gwyn St., 

 Bedford, on Tuesday evenings at 8.15. 



WcUitiFton College AhitJiral Science Society: 

 President, S. A. Saunder, Esq. ; Secretaries, H. A. 

 Cruickshank, A. J. V. Durell. 



North Staffordshire Naturalists'' Field Club and 

 ArchcEologicol Society : President, J. R. B. Masefield : 

 Hon. Secretary, Rev. T. W. Daltry, Madeley 

 Vicarage, Newcastle, Staff. Excursions monthly, 

 April to September ; evening meetings monthly, 

 November, January, February, March. 



Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club, Hereford: 

 President, H. Southall ; Hon. Secretary, H. C. 

 Moore ; Assistant Secretary., J. B. Pilley. Annual 



