rer rrp nmr rme rene Rt en NS AOC ALOE LILLE OT LORE ELE OLAS LIE LOE LL LE A IES 
Destruction of Birds at Sea 
iain 
of oil, and amongst the rocks it was much 
thicker, having the appearance of thick 
chocolate sauce, and being in some places 
six or seven inches deep (Scottish Naturaltst, 
September 1915, pp. 282-4). The birds, with 
their feathers matted with oil, were unable 
either to fly or dive, and in the end starved 
todeath. GUILLEMOTS, RAZORBILLS, and PUF- 
FINS died in enormous numbers, and EIDER- 
pucks also suffered (Bristol Times and Mzurror, 
19.v.16). An observer of the November 
catastrophe writes that the beach was sticky 
and foul, and one day the breakers were 
black, the feathers of the GULLS were dis- 
coloured, GUILLEMOTS especially suffered and 
even died because of the clogging of their 
plumage and their consequent inability to 
fly ; prawns were uneatable, and even fish 
were tainted from the same cause (West- 
minster Gazette, 8.xi.I5). On one occasion a 
GREEN PARROT completed the list of dead, 
probably a pet washed off some ship (Country 
Life, 2.1X.16). 
No such catastrophes were again recorded 
till the end of April 1918, when a number of 
77 
