352 UTAMANIA TORDA. 



t'xcited astonishment. When a shot Avas fired, most of the 

 birds in the neighhourhood h^ft their nests and flew about, 

 while some, in their huiry, fell into the sea, and, on emerging, 

 raised with their wings an uninterrupted splashing of the 

 water some hundred yards from the base of the rocks. After 

 a succession of shots, almost the whole body seemed to be on 

 wing, presenting the appearance of a kind of cloud, Avhich 

 occupied a quarter of a mile square, and through which one 

 could scarcely distinguish the blue sky from the flakes of 

 white vapour. In their flight the birds did not cross much, 

 but generally moved in the same direction, wheeling in a 

 circle. This disposition probably arose from their number 

 being so great that they could not conveniently fly at random. 

 The mingling screams produce a general mass of harsh sound, 

 in which the cries of individuals cannot be distinguished. 

 The weather being very hot, and the light reflected from the 

 rocks and the sea, while the steam from the rowers, shooters, 

 and tar of the boat was sickening, I at length became 

 affected with severe headache, which was increased by gazing 

 on the birds as they sat far above us, and the frequent fulmi- 

 nations intended for their destruction. 



The noise and bustle of these winged inhabitants of the 

 rocky isle reminded me of the stir of some great city, and 

 their prodigious numbers I could compare to nothing that I 

 had seen biit the shoals of some species of fish. Many were 

 fishing on the smooth sea around the island, many flying from 

 the rocks, many returning to their eggs, many resting on 

 shelves and crags along the edge of the water ; but by far the 

 gi-eater number were seated on their eggs. Such was the 

 appearance of the place when the birds were not disturbed ; 

 and they w^ere not very excitable, for, unless after a shot, 

 none stirred on our account, however close the boat came. 

 It was not uncommon to see them arranged in a line extend- 

 ing several yards along a fissure, and this formed a very pretty 

 sight, especially Avhen their white breasts appeared, for, 

 excepting the Gulls, these birds stand nearly erect. The 

 rocks seemed wonderfully adajitcd for the purpose of breeding, 

 being very closely intersected by fissures of various sizes, and 

 running in all directions. 



