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the ed'^i' ni tlR' cliffs one could hardly realize that it was possible 

 to get down on to it ; hut scrambling down a little grassy ravine 

 some thirty or forty feet there is a small perpendicular shaft in 

 the rock open only on one side, and just large enough to admit 

 of the body of a man. It is called " The Chimney." By careful 

 manoeuvring it is ])ossil5le to get down here by taking advantage 

 with the hands and feet of .small projecting ledges at the sides. 

 It is safer to lie assisted by a rope, a man liolding the rope at the 

 top. The Chimney will be about twenty feet higli. The descent 

 then on to the plateau is comparatively easy. I^arge numbers of 

 Gulls nest here, every little depression in tlie ground being taken 

 advantage of for a nest. Some are formed of dead grasses, and 

 are of ^'arious degrees of finish ; in other cases the eggs are simply 

 laid in the depression. Some are quite exposed, whilst others 

 are placed under sheltering ferns and grasses. Immense numliers 

 also nest on all the little ledges in the ]ieriien(licular cliff, and if 

 we look along the edges of the cliffs the snowy white birds may be 

 observed sitting on their nests in all directions, and unoccupied 

 nests with two but usually with the fidl complement of three eggs, 

 in some cases tM'o or three nests being seen on one small ledge. 

 The nests as mentioned above are made of dried grasses, some 

 Avitli a few feathers intermixed, and vary considerably in bulk, 

 some being mere apologies for nests. I noticed one nest with a 

 single egg on a flat, jutting rock right on the top of the cliff. 

 The pale bluish-grey wind-swept grass on the top of the cliffs 

 is thickly studded Avith the snowy white feathers of the Gulls, and 

 leans over in the direction contrary to the jirevailing winds. 



The usual number of eggs is three, and these vary very greatly 

 lioth in size and colour, and also in number, position, shape and 

 size of markings. The colours vary from Avarm stone colour 

 through shades of brown and olive green. The spots are various 

 shades of broAvn and neutral tint of varymg intensity, some having 

 a softened dusty look. Morris says: — "The male bird keeps 

 Avatch about the female Avhen sitting, and comes to her assistance 

 and defends if occasion requires." This may be correct ; at all 

 events numbers of birds stand about on the rocks, close to tlie 

 sitting birds ; and if a stone be throAvn over the cliffs, clouds of 

 birds immediately fly out, Avith loud piercing screams, Avhich, 

 Avhen large numbers are congregated, is simply deafening, and 

 the numbers have the effect of obscuring the light. Far doAvn 

 on the placid surface of the Avater (for it is a In-ight hot 

 summer's day, Avithout a breath of Avind) may be oliserved 

 thousands of tiny Avhite specks, I'ejiosing on the glassy surface. 

 These are (tuIIs. 



