238 Wm> Birds and their Haunts 



get a shot at a basking seal. Four woodcock and a couple 

 of seals fell to the lot of a gun from a small boat recently. 

 The seals were of baby growth, scaling from four to seven 

 stone. It is well known to Scotch naturalists that this 

 animal attains a weight of seventy stone. It should be 

 remembered that shooting parties can hire cobbles from 

 either Seahouses or Holy Island for these excursions. 



It is estimated that lighthouses on the Atlantic coast 

 of the United States cause the destruction of about 100,000 

 birds annually. The birds, being attracted by the light, 

 and flying against the glass, are dashed to pieces. The 

 migratory birds are the chief sufferers, the havoc being 

 great in April along the northern coasts, from Cape May 

 to Maine, and in October on the Florida shores. At one 

 lighthouse in Florida the lantern itself was broken by the 

 repeated shocks from ducks, and an iron network had to be 

 erected round the light. Even then the ducks struck the 

 netting with such force as to break through it and smash 

 the heavy outer plate-glass of the lantern. From twenty 

 to fifty dead birds were often found in the morning. 



A writer at Holy Island, who represents the Wild Fowl- 

 ing Association, mentions the fact, in corroboration of the 

 foregoing, that the ever-memorable Longstone Lighthouse 

 has caused the destruction of many of the winged tribe in 

 their migration flights. The flash of this light can be 

 seen for fifteen miles, encompassing and protecting the 

 twenty islets which form the Fame group. It was in 

 winter no uncommon sight for the lighthouse keeper — 

 then a Darling — to descry in the early morning several 

 ducks with broken necks lying on the rocks close by. It 

 is a common saying that ' ' Longstone has a meal to-day." 

 Some woodcock were recently found similarly killed, 

 whilst many more have been shot by the daring visiting 

 fowlers who made North Sunderland their rendezvous. 



" The Scottish Field" says: — Some doubt has been 

 recently expressed by writers who are generally well in- 

 formed as to the nidification of the woodcock on Scottish 

 soil. I had fancied that the fact had long been univer- 

 sally accepted that the long-billed bird nested and reared 

 its broods in this country, but it would appear that a num- 



