on the Eddystone. 255 



as yet, an unknown tongue to most of us. Nor was it an 

 easy matter to promptly assign a familiar note to its rightful 

 throat when heard under sueh highly peculiar conditions, 

 and to an accompaniment supplied by the roar of the surf 

 on the surrounding reefs. 



It was interesting to note the varying degree in which the 

 mesmeric influence of the light was exercised over the diff'erent 

 species. The Starling was the most susceptible subject 

 present ; and this clever bird became under the sway of the 

 lantern not only a complete fool, but a seemingly willing 

 sacrifice. It was quite fearless and indifferent to the 

 presence of myself and the keepers on the gallery, for it 

 hustled past us in unceremonious fashion to reach the 

 lantern, and, being baulked on the threshold by the windows, 

 made vigorous attempts to reach the seductive lamp, and then 

 sat half-exhausted on the sills and sashes, drinking-in, as it 

 were, the light until it became quite stupefied, and when 

 picked oft' would sit contentedly on one^s hand. Great 

 numbers were removed from the lantern and cast over into 

 the darkness below; but many of them immediately re- 

 turned. The Skylark was nearly as frequent a victim. It 

 came up in great numbers to the light, but not being 

 accustomed to perch on such slight coigns of vantage as the 

 metal framework of the lantern offered, it fluttered violently 

 against the glass for a time and, becoming exhausted, sank 

 prostrate on the gallery *. It would have been quite 

 possible to have captured a thousand Starlings and as 

 many Skylarks. It was otherwise with the various species 

 of Turdus. These, though present in equal or even greater 

 numbers than either of the species just alluded to, were not 

 affected to anything like the same degree. The Blackbirds 

 and Song-Thrushes approached the lantern more freely 

 than the rest of their genus, but they had a habit of coming 



* I may here remark that I took with me to the Eddystone a quantity 

 of netting-, with which I completely surrounded the gallery by hannino- it 

 perpendicularly from the railing. The object was to prevent any birds 

 that struck from falling over. It answered admirably, and was the means 

 of saving many birds which would otlierwi^e have been lost. 



