BIRD ROCKS. 19 



square acres of ground upon its summit. Here for the last 

 few years a lighthouse has been established, and the men 

 stationed here, when they found that we wished to land, 

 lowered a small platform by the aid of a crane and windlass 

 for our accommodation. 



By the aid of a little careful packing, we were enabled to 

 place everything, including ourselves, upon this substitute for 

 an elevator. The box or tray in which we were seated was 

 about four feet square, with six-inch sides. When we were 

 all snugly packed away, it is unnecessary to state that we 

 were somewhat crowded; but just then a faint voice came 

 to us with a questioning "All right?" and I had hardly waved 

 my hand in answer, when we began to ascend. As we 

 moved slowly up within a few feet of the cliff, we were 

 enabled to form some idea of the immense quantities of birds 

 which breed here. Gannets, Puffins, Razor-billed Auks, and 

 Guillemots, together with an occasional Kittawake Gull, were 

 sitting upon the ledges in long rows, some upon eggs, but 

 most of them were mixed up with young ones of all shades 

 and sizes, from those nearly able to fly to the downy little 

 fellows apparently just from the shell. Around, above, below, 



