no Till'. W'li.sox lU'i.LE'iJN — No. (J."). 



us u])!)!! our ik'paiiurc. There were no nests upon the lop of 

 the island, Init one was placed at the anji^'le where the hluff met 

 the storm- washed rocks. Most of the nests discovered were 

 Iniilt in sliglit to consideralile depressions in the rock, the ma- 

 terial used iK'irt;' eitlier rock chips or dry grass, usually the 

 former. ( )ne nest was found t)n the only bit of beach which 

 the island l)nasted. While some nests were in the midst of 

 v€g"etation, as shown in the picture, the ])revailing" position was 

 on the bare rocks. The protective coloration of the eg^gs which 

 lay upon th.e rock chips made careful scrutiny of the probable 

 vicinity of the nest necessary ; and even then sonne nests were 

 at first overlooked. The appearance and calls of these elves 

 of the sea must be seen and heard to be appreciated. No words 

 that I can find give more than the merest caricature. 



One instance will give an idea of the cunning of the Oyster- 

 catchers. We had quietly approached the brow of the cliff, 

 next th'j slender beach, wholly under cover and earl\ in the 

 morning, in the hope of catching the old bird sitting. Cau- 

 tiously peeping through the vegetatioii without exposing (Our- 

 selves to view, two birds were seen oit the rubble below. ( )ne 

 ( f them was nestling down in. a very suggestive manner, the 

 otlvcr ap]iarently standing carelessly. As we pushed aside the 

 bushes and prepared to descend the sitting bird cautiously 

 sneaked away, apparentl}' feeding as she did so, while the 

 otiier retaii".ed the careless attitude. As we approached the 

 foot of the clifif both birds took wing, pretesting loudly, the 

 one standing not having moved from iiis tracks before. ( )ne 

 of us had carefully marked the spot which the sitting bird left 

 so cautiously, confidently expecting to find the nest; the other 

 went to the place of the standing bird — and the nest was here ! 

 The picture shows the two eggs in their setting of pebbles and 

 drift. Was it conscious deception by both birds, or only an 

 ordinary reaction ? 



Two ntsts of the Pigeon (luillemot were found in their 

 characteristic position in little wind-holes worn out of the 

 sandstone. One of these was in a part of the reef sh.own in 

 the illustration. Thvre were probably about fifteen pairs about 

 the island. Tluse birds had the h.abit of restin"- almost flat- 



