BIRD NOTES AFIELD 



bare, jagged ridge of rock, cut out in places into great cones 

 and pyramids. Yonder was one shaped like a titanic beehive 

 and about it swarmed a vast throng of sea birds in Heu of bees. 

 Off toward the farther end was a rock with a httle archway 

 cut through it near the top. The rocks were of a hght pinkish 

 or cream color, from the guano upon them, interspersed with 

 patches of pale green where some mosses or lichens had taken 

 root. Lower down, where the waves dashed upon them, they 

 were clean and almost black in color, while, in beautiful con- 

 trast to their somber hue, the breakers were shattered into white 

 foam and pale-green opaline tints. But that which interested 

 us most was the vast assemblage of birds. Every cranny upon 

 the face of the rough, granitic cliffs was alive with murres, 

 uttering their characteristic note, some at rest, some fluttering 

 and scrambling or bobbing their heads, the whole scene being 

 one of indescribably weird animation, and unlike anything else 

 imaginable unless it be the witches in Faust on Walpurgis 

 night. Here and there the black figure of a cormorant upon 

 her nest was noticed, or one would fly past with a fish in her 

 bill, headed toward her young. Occasionally a puffin, or sea 

 parrot, as he is aptly called — a queer fellow with his immense 

 red bill — would pass our way. The most familiar birds were 

 the western gulls, which flocked about the boat in considerable 

 numbers, displaying their beautiful slate-blue mantles and yel- 

 low, scarlet-spotted bills. They were attracted by the refuse 

 of the men's breakfast which had been thrown overboard in 

 the cove, but in spite of their fine plumage and graceful actions, 

 they proved to be disagreeable, noisy, quarrelsome birds. 



After our half-hour of impatient waiting the eggers ap- 

 peared on the cliff above us, and, lowering a skiff which hung 



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