128 NATURAL HISTORY IBirds. 



them perishing, yet that never deters the survivors, — such an 

 influence ha.s the love even of ahttlegainon the human mind, 

 that not the most imminent dangei-s can deter them from pur- 

 suing it at all events, even though death stares them in the 

 face ever}-^ moment they are on these expeditions. The smal- 

 lest accident may ruin them, — the untwisting of the rope, 

 — the slipping of a noose, — the rubbing of it on the rugged 

 rocks, — all may and sometimes are fatal to the climbers ; 

 yet so venturesome are they, that they often let one another 

 down small heights with straw ropes. Well might the poet 

 call this a " horrid trade ;" it is really dreadful to see people 

 let over a rock several hundred fathoms height, with the deep 

 below them, supported only by the single arm of their com- 

 rades, who have nothing to rest themselves against, but must 

 depend on their strength for both their preservation : some- 

 times, indeed, both slip together. 



The lyre comes to these rocks in February or March, and 

 some time after their arrival build in holes of the httle earth 

 that is to be found in the interstices of the rocks ; lays a single 

 ■white egg, something like a hen's, but blunt at each end. In 

 August the young are fit for taking, and are very much sought 

 after as delicacies by those who love good cheer. They are, 

 indeed, very fat, but are nauseously rank and fishy tasted ; 

 however, they sell pretty high, and are lucrative to the cap- 

 tors. The country people salt them down for winter provi- 

 sion, and boil them with cabbage ; what sort of a dish this 

 makes I cannot say, but suppose not extraordinary. They 



