Among the Sea Birds 3<) 



allowed to see them truly 'at home." There can 

 be no finer sight than a colony of Kit ti wakes sitting 

 upon their eggs, their beautiful plumage affording a 

 striking contrast to the dark rocks upon which they 

 place their nests — the smallest ledges serving for thL 

 purpose. 



' ' O, say, what sight is this the cake that takes ? 



A colony of sitting Kittiwakes ! 



Of all the prospects that our earth affords, 

 Gazed at by ladies, and admired by lords, 

 Sure none can vie with that which here we view, 

 So blithely beautiful, so strange, so true !" 



A pleasing increase has also taken place in the number 

 of Eider ducks or Culver ducks. These are found 

 nearly everywhere, making their nests among the rocks 

 the plants, or on the open beach. Some are so tame 

 that they will even allow the visitor to stroke them 

 upon the nest. Mr. Eider is much more finely dressed 

 than his wife. 



As a rule he keeps well out to sea, but whenever his 

 partner quits her nest for a little exercise he at once comes 

 home to attend her. Should the female happen to leave her 

 nest in a hurry, as she sometimes does, without covering 

 her eggs with " down " she will be sorry on her return, 

 for it is quite certain that they will have been carried oft' 

 by those thieving rogues, the Lesser Black-backed Gulls. 



One may hope, however, that this Gull is not so 

 black as painted. But in any case a useful lesson may 

 be learned from him, as a well-known writer has pointed 

 out : 



' ' E'en from the Eesser Black-backed Gull 

 Some slight instruction we may cull, 

 He bids us as he swims the deep, 

 On the main chance our glances keep ; 

 Nor let occasion slip away, 

 But, while the sun shines, make our hay." 



It is very surprising that the Gulls have never yet 

 found out that the dainties of which they are so fond, 

 are lying snugly hidden beneath those heaps of down. 



Puffins are very numerous on one or two of the 

 islands. Upon Staple Island, the soil is so riddled 

 with their burrows that the visitor can scarcely move 

 about without his feet sinking into one of them. The 



