WILD WINGS 
164 
ledges were crowded, the air was full of them. It takes a 
windy day to show Bird Rock at its best. Then the birds are 
constantly in motion, apparently from the very love of flight. 
Those that must incubate do so for but a few moments, and 
then are off for a spin and circuit out over the water, ere they 
return for another short vigil. 
The most notable increase, I think, has been among the 
Kittiwakes, the beautiful pearly-mantled white gull that nests 
in the niches of the cliffs. Perhaps they are now the most 
numerous species. About equal in number are the great 
Gannets, the largest of the inhabitants. Their accustomed 
ledges were all filled, and in the distance I could see that the 
summits of the three parts of North Bird Rock, three quarters 
of a mile away, were literally white with them. The Murres 
probably come next, and have more than held their own. 
The Brlinnich’s Murre is much more numerous than the 
“Common ” kind. As before, there are only a few dozen of the 
“Ringed Murre” type or phase, of uncertain classification. 
The Razor-billed Auks are about as numerous as the Murres 
and have certainly multiplied, but the Puffins have possibly 
decreased slightly in numbers. As for the Petrels, I saw and 
heard nothing of them, though there are a few in the burrows. 
After breakfast I filled my plate-holders, now dry, though 
somewhat warped inside, and began the work. I had a ca¬ 
pacity of thirty plates with my reflex camera and of two 
dozen with my Centurv. As a matter of fact the former was 
the only one I used. When the thirty plates were exposed, 
I went into the cellar, which I had darkened, packed away the 
exposures, filled the holders, and went out for another batch 
of pictures. The wind was so violent that it was practically 
impossible to do any tripod work. 
During the morning I made snap-shots at flying birds, and 
took the precaution to develop two plates in the cellar, thus 
