AMONG THE WATER-FowL 
compass, again under clear skies, with calm summer 
sea. ‘As we approach it is. usual to) see abomt 
thirty birds, some of them in the water just off 
the island, nihiers sitting on the rocks, conspicuous 
with AGE deep green-black bodies and the large 
white patch on each wing. Watching a chance, 
we run the boat up on a flat ledge and haul it well 
out. The Guillemots fly, all that are in sight, 
but there are nearly as many more in under the 
rocks upon their nests, if our visit is within a month 
after the middle of jane. at about which date the 
eggs are laid. 
Now comes the awkward and possibly paintul 
part of the procedure, if we would see their beauti- 
ful eggs—selecting a hole under some rock, partic- 
ularly if there be droppings about the entrance, to 
get down flat on on one’s face and try to look in. 
It may require many attempts of this kind before a 
discovery quickens the pulse. Knees are bruised, 
the back is tired and the neck is lamed. It seems 
as though there were a million stones to look under, 
and even thirty nests among them seem discourag- 
ingly few. But success is bound to follow. There 
is one flat rock where, every season that I have 
come, there has been a nest, so we will look there. 
Yes, there is the bird squatting far underneath. She 
sees us and scurries further back, leaving her two 
handsomely blotched eggs. The stone weighs 
more than a ton, Soi we. cannot: move it nersane the 
eggs within arm’s reach. But with a piece of drift- 
wood, if we wish, we can pry them out over the 
pepples, among highs without any soft lining, they 
are laid. There is little danger of breaking hos, 
88 
