I2 5



on Rambles among the Wild Birds.



the boatmen for an early start on the morrow and then ‘ turned

in ’ to dream of wonders in store for us.


There was no lingering in bed the next morning, and a

glance at the East convincing us that it was going to be a

glorious Summer day, we all raced away in high spirits for a dip

in the icy waters of the North Sea, and, after a somewhat

hurried breakfast, assembled at the quaint little harbour with

camera and field-glasses, some time before the appointed hour.

A few Terns were diving for their prey, and some Eider Ducks

were floating on the water, but there was little evidence that we

were within a few miles of teeming colonies of birds.


The outward voyage was slow owing to the absence

of wind, and seemed doubly so to us who were straining

our eyes at the black rocks in front, and longing to be scrambling

over their rough surface. As we approached the islands the

bird life increased. Parties of Guillemots were hurrying across

our bows, just above the waves, and many comical little Puffins,

•or ‘Tammies’ as the boatmen called them, were floating on the

water, hardly taking the trouble to get out of the way of our

vessel. Presently two Ganuets in immature plumage, wanderers

no doubt from the Bass Rock, flew lazily past us, apparently

gorged with fish. We steer close under the flat-topped Pinnacles

and land on a corner of Staple Island, one of the group of

Outer Fames.


There was no delay about getting ashore, and scrambling

up the rocks, we soon found ourselves in the middle of a large

colony of Eesser Black-backed Gulls (Larus fuscus). The birds

rose at our approach, filling the air with their harsh cries of

‘ Hoiv , how, how ,’ and circled over our heads, one or two bolder

than the rest sometimes swooping down upon us if we walked

too near their eggs or young. The nests were placed on the

bare rock or among a luxuriant growth of sea-campion, and

only consisted of dry grass and weeds roughly put together.

Most of the nests contained two or three eggs, but some of the

young had already been hatched. It is found desirable to keep

down tne numbers of these Gulls, as they are inveterate robbers

of the eggs of other sea birds.



