AMID SPRUCES AND SEA-GIRT ROCKS 179 



deliberately rise into sight, looking into the hood of his 

 camera, and snap them as they hesitate. Then, sinking down 

 quietly, he can change the plate behind the rocks, and have 

 another shot if he will, perhaps this time advancing a few 

 steps nearer, until they begin to get uneasy. He must stop 

 then for a moment, and they will recover confidence, and 

 let him come still nearer. In this way I easily secured all 

 the pictures I wanted. They are, on the whole, sociable little 

 fellows, yet I could not but wonder how they enjoyed that 

 terrible foghorn which roars away twice a minute, day and 

 night, whenever foggy weather prevails, and kept me awake 

 all one night. 



Most of these birds on the rocks, presumably, are the males, 

 though they, indeed, take their turn upon the eggs. Under 

 our very feet their wives may be brooding each her beauti- 

 fully marked twin eggs. Nesting is a very simple process. 

 All the preparation needed is to crawl in between and under 

 the rocks, perhaps down through several layers, and select 

 a spot where there is a little gravel washed in, upon which 

 the eggs will be laid. Sometimes the sitting bird, upon hear- 

 ing the approach of an intruder, flies out, and he can mark 

 the spot where her nest is. But just as often, especially when 

 the eggs are well hidden, she will remain upon them, refusing 

 to come out for anything that may be done. A good way to 

 find nests is to follow Keeper Crowell's dog. He cannot 

 detect eggs beneath him, but he can infallibly scent the bird 

 when she is upon the nest, and will gaze down the crevice 

 intently, whining and wagging his tail. 



It is possible to photograph the strange bird upon or by 

 her eggs. Realizing that she is cornered, she will not attempt 

 to fly out. So we manage to pry or roll away the rocks one 

 by one, and presently we see her squatting down in the dark 

 hole. When it is opened to the light, the bird may shrink 



