AMID SPRUCES AND SEA-GIRT ROCKS 179 
deliberately rise into sight, looking into the hood of his 
camera, and snap them as they hesitate. Then, sinking down 
quietly, he can change the plate behind the rocks, and have 
another shot if he will, perhaps this time advancing a few 
steps nearer, until they begin to get uneasy. He must stop 
then for a moment, and they will recover conhdence, and 
let him come still nearer. In this way I easily secured all 
the pictures I wanted. They are, on the whole, sociable little 
fellows, yet I could not but wonder how they enjoyed that 
terrible foghorn which roars away twice a minute, day and 
night, whenever foggy weather prevails, and kept me awake 
all one night. 
Most of these birds on the rocks, presumably, are the males, 
though they, indeed, take their turn upon the eggs. Under 
our very feet their wives may be brooding each her beauti¬ 
fully marked twin eggs. Nesting is a very simple process. 
All the preparation needed is to crawl in between and under 
the rocks, perhaps down through several layers, and select 
a spot where there is a little gravel washed in, upon which 
the eggs will be laid. Sometimes the sitting bird, upon hear¬ 
ing the approach of an intruder, flies out, and he can mark 
the spot where her nest is. But just as often, especially when 
the eggs are well hidden, she will remain upon them, refusing 
to come out for anything that may be done. A good way to 
find nests is to follow Keeper Crowell’s dog. He cannot 
detect eggs beneath him, but he can infallibly scent the bird 
when she is upon the nest, and will gaze down the crevice 
intently, whining and wagging his tail. 
It is possible to photograph the strange bird upon or by 
her eggs. Realizing that she is cornered, she will not attempt 
to fly out. So we manage to pry or roll away the rocks one 
by one, and presently we see her squatting down in the dark 
hole. When it is opened to the light, the bird may shrink 
