714 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



climbed in the late Queen's Jubilee year ; while the name of 

 " Seven Score Place " perpetuates the memory of the largest 

 number of eggs taken at one climb by George Londesborough. 



Then ensued the time when the poor birds were ruthlessly 

 shot down in the breeding season by tourists and gunners, 

 who often did not trouble to pick up the dead or wounded, 

 while the young were left to perish on the ledges ; at this time, 

 Hodgson declares, climbing did not pay, and was almost 

 discontinued for some years. It was chiefly owing to the 

 indignation aroused by this wanton destruction that the 

 " Sea-birds Preservation Act " was passed, and, as the 

 birds afterwards increased under protection, the egg gathering 

 was resumed. On the Bempton, Buckton, and Speeton cliffs 

 there are now four gangs of " dimmers," each having an 

 apportioned part, beyond which they must not trespass ; 

 four men constitute the gang, viz., the " dimmer," and three 

 top men. The ground from Danes' Dyke for about a mile and 

 a half westward to Bartlett Nab (excepting one field at 

 Bempton Lane-end), is chmbed by Henry Marr's party 

 (until 1902 the leadership of this gang was shared by the 

 late George Wilkinson). The second portion is worked by 

 William Wilkinson and his mates, who climb as far as Buckton 

 Lordship, about half a mile, and they also have the Bempton 

 Lane-end field ; then William Chandler has Mainprize cliff, 

 and a small part beyond ; whilst the Hodgsons climb the 

 Buckton end to Raincliff, comprising a stretch of about three- 

 quarters of a mile in length. 



Within the past two or three years a few Guillemots 

 have taken up their quarters on the Gristhorpe Cliff, near 

 Scarborough, but are not sufficiently numerous to repay the 

 labour of climbing. At Flamborough, where the birds had 

 become scarce, the fishermen climbed irregularly and inter- 

 mittently until the year 1903, when a gang led by E. Major 

 commenced to climb more methodically. 



The ropes used are of strong stout hemp, 300 feet in length, 

 and are renewed about every second year. In wet weather 

 little climbing can be done as the ropes become slippery, or 

 " greasy " as it is called, and difficult to work. 



