CHAPTER VI 



The Sea-birds of the Fame Islands 



AxYiu)])Y desirous of seeing sea-fowl ''at home." and of 

 watching tlieir habits and customs, sliould make a point 

 of visiting tlie Fame Islands. Tliis group of little rocky 

 islets, set in the North Sea five or six miles from the coast 

 of Northumberland, has been known for ages past as the 

 summer resort of countless numbers of sea-birds. Ever since 

 the days of St. Cuthbert, and probal)ly for centuries before 

 that, they have flocked in myriads to these remote rocks 

 for nesting purposes. 



I^atterly, liowever, the continued existence of this interest- 

 ing breeding-station being imperilled by tlie greed of the 

 fishermen, and by the thoughtless cruelty of the tourists 

 from the neighbouring towns, tlic islands have l)een leased 

 ])y an association of naturalists, who employ, during the 

 season, four watchers to Ywe on the islands for tlie protec- 

 tion of tlieir featliercd tenants. Tliis lias resulted in a most 

 satisfactory increase in the numbers of the birds, which have 

 been in some dano-er of extermination, and also in the 

 remarkable tameness displayed by them. 



Having arrived at North Sunderland or Ijamborough, it 



