2SO OUR RARER BIRDS 



most of the spots in a zone ronnd the larger end, others are 

 boldly splashed with colour over their entire surface, and less 

 frequently the markings take the form of streaks. 



As soon as their rocky fastnesses are approached, the 

 Kittiwakes set up a noisy chorus of remonstrance. Bird 

 after bird flutters lightly into the air from all parts of the 

 cliffs ; numbers may be seen still sitting restlessly upon their 

 nests ; others are standing on the rocks, whilst many are 

 flittinof to and fro alonf^ the face of the cliff. It is a most 

 impressive scene, and one not likely to be forgotten. To my 

 mind the incessant noisy clamour of the birds adds largely to 

 the wild beauty of the picture. Their notes speak eloquently 

 of freedom — there is an independence about them quite in 

 harmony with the rushing sea and the rugged rocks. Like 

 hardy mountaineers these pretty Gulls cling to their favourite 

 cliffs, bidding defiance to all but winged enemies or the most 

 venturesome of climbers. 



I have seen numbers of Kittiwakes' colonies, and visited 

 their nests in many beetling cliffs, but the colony — or rather 

 the succession of colonies at St. Kilda are by far the most 

 interesting. In all suitable places round the clif!s of these 

 rugged isles the Kittiwake rears its young, and here, as 

 everywhere else, it reserves the most terrible parts of the 

 rocks for its cradle — many nests being in places where the 

 precipices overhang considerably. There the birds stand 

 and seem to call defiantly and mockingly to the boat 

 that ventures as near the terrible wall of rock as it dare, 

 Avithout being dashed to pieces by those stupendous waves 

 which have not encountered land since they left the 

 New AVorld in their two thousand -mile race across the 

 wide Atlantic. 



As soon as the Kittiwake's young can leave the nest, the 

 rocks are almost deserted. Both parents assist in tending 

 the young, and when once they can fly the noisy birds wander 



