Among the Sea Birds 37 



AMONG THE SEA BIRDS. 

 ON FARNE ISLANDS IN JUNE. 



TO this interesting group of rock-bound islands 

 I wended my way to study bird-life. There 

 are in all twenty-two at low water, and fifteen 

 when the tide is at flood, for then the lower islets are 

 submerged. 



They are composed of basalt, and this is really the 

 extremity of the stratum which runs practically through 

 the county of Northumberland, and thence sea- wards. 

 This marine stratum may be traced from St. Cuth- 

 bert's small isle, in close proximity to Holy Island, 

 or Lmdisfarne, as was its ancient name. It then 

 forms what is called the " Heugh " at the Holy Island — 

 a rampart some five hundred yards long. It is then 

 submerged, and reappears in the "Fort of Beblowe " 

 — in old writings — or Holy Island Castle. It goes again 

 under the sea practically for six sea miles, until it cul- 

 minates in the famous bird-breeding haunt, Fame Is- 

 lands. Of all the feathered resorts, this is pre-eminently 

 the most marvellous, for here as many as fifteen distinct 

 species incubate and rear their young. 



It would be impossible to describe all I saw on this 

 interesting group of islands. My first landing was on 

 the Inner Fame, where St. Cuthbert, in the far-off 

 seventh century, built a cell, and lived the life of a 

 hermit, "far from the madding crowd." Here I was 

 fortunate in meeting Mr. Paynter, of Alnwick, the 

 honorary secretary of the Fame Island Association, 

 and with him discussed the progress ot the incubator}' 

 species, many of which were pointed out and briefly 

 described. 



The Association consists 01 a band of gentlemen 

 devoted to the protection of these birds, and two 

 keepers are stationed here throughout the season to 

 keep the gulls from playing havoc with the eggs and 



