Machias Seal Islands 243 



but at least movable, — which was better success than I had had in the previous 

 hour with anything under which a nest might be concealed. Once moved and 

 thrown back, a short search rewarded the labor, and a Puffin's nest, with one 

 egg, was discovered deep under a big overhanging rock, the egg being about 

 a foot back from the opening. The problem of photography came up next, 

 which was solved by borrowing a small round mirror of the lightkeeper; and by 

 puUing out many small rocks, a sufficient opening was made to throw the early 

 morning sun-rays across the egg in the nest (^^'ith the result shown in the ac- 

 companying picture). I photographed the egg as well, laid out into the sun- 

 light, and, carefully replacing e^•erything as found, left them to the peaceful 

 company of the Terns and their own kin. My disappointment was great in 

 being unable to locate any young. 



At the ending of the long summer twilight, while the lights in the towers 

 dominated the immediate darkness, and distinguished each succeeding breaker 

 in front of me, standing in the front of the little open tent, pitched close to 

 the edge of the grassy sward, I was made aware of a different class of birds 

 come to replace the Puffins and screaming Terns, whose cries had ceased with 

 the darkening night. The ffight of Leach's Petrels from the sea had begun, 

 and, like erratic flying bats, they brushed my tent, my coat, flying almost full 



PUFFIN'S XEST AND EGG 



into my face, until the air seemed fairly alive \\-ith them, uttering their peculiar 

 staccato, cooing sounds. To the monotonous chanting of these sounds, which 

 came from the birds in swift, circling flight, in an hour I had dropped asleep, 

 waking again at about midnight, to find the flight notes entirely succeeded by 

 a different song, apparently proceeding from the ground, and some birds evi- 

 dently but just separated from me by the side of my tent. Crawling on hands 



