Sufferings of Birds 
ness in November, when a KING-EIDER and 
hundreds of ScCOTERS and GUILLEMOTS 
perished ; in some cases the oil is said to 
have penetrated the skin to the flesh be- 
neath. Doubtless the birds came inland on 
account of the irritating effect of the oil, and, 
as it floated in a thin layer on the surface of 
the sea, it was only when wading ashore in 
the more shallow water that their feet became 
affected (British Birds Magazine, vol. ix. 
pp. 252-3). On January oth and roth, 1916, 
sea-birds were found, killed by oil, off Dunge- 
ness (British Birds Magazine, vol. iv. pp. 
152-3), and in January off Blackpool and 
Lytham (tom. cit. p. 256). Investigations 
proved that some of these dates synchronised 
with the sinking of British oil-ships in the 
North Sea, and it is to be hoped that the 
others indicated the sinking of German sub- 
marines or other oil-using enemy craft. In 
one case the sea birds were described as 
sitting on the rocks in a very dirty condition, 
stained dark brown and practically helpless, 
quantities being washed ashore caked with 
oil. The beach was covered with little patches 
76 
