AMONG THE WaATER-FOowWL 
three or four miles off the land, the sea was fairly 
alive with them, while Kittiwakes were flitting 
about in all directions, plunging Tern-like into the 
water after small fish. 
shall never forget the scene that ensued when 
a school of these small fry rose to the surface, prob- 
ably chased by the Haddock or Dog-fish below. 
The birds instantly discovered the school, and made 
for it. The air was full of excited Kittiwakes, 
hovering, plunging and fluttering up with their 
prey. Line after line of Murres likewise came 
flying up, and, pitching down into the water, dove 
and ted. In afew moments the water for about an 
acre was amass of struggling birds. At length 
they so alarmed the fish that these preferred facing 
their finny enemies to this feathered onslaught, and, 
with a simultaneous leap, they were gone. It was 
surprising how quickly the birds scattered again. 
We beat some eight or ten miles off-shore 
against the moderate easterly wind to the fishing- 
ground, noticing that the line of the greatest 
abundance of birds was about half way out. Yet 
there were quite a few birds on the fishing-ground. 
As we hauled up the slimy Cod, Hake and Haddock, 
the beautiful Kittiwakes hovered close around us— 
so unlike the wary large Gulls—as though begging 
for the titbits of liver that we now and then threw 
them. They seemed to have absolutely no fear of 
man, flying back and forth so near us as barely to 
i our ‘il and rigging. It almost seemed that 
they could be taught to feed out of one’s hand. 
The Murres, or “ Noddies ’’ as the Chatham fisher- 
men call them, came also for their share. As they 
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