170 



BIRD STUDIES WITH A CAMERA 



an astonishing confidence in mankind. In fact, I 

 was at times vigorously scolded by some Murre 

 parent, who waddled toward me, bobbing her head, 



87. Kazorbilled Auks and "Kinged" Murre. x 3. 



and uttering a series of protesting murres in a tone 

 so like that of a bass- voiced man, I half expected a 

 larger biped to appear. 



The Razorbills were fully as tame, sometimes 

 leaving their crevices in the cliff and, with a hoarse 

 croak, almost flying in my face, while the Puffins 

 exhibited a spirit of combined indifference and inde- 

 pendence, which plainly said, " This Rock is ours." 



I sat down on a convenient ledge, and as the 

 birds gathered about me in rows and groups on the 

 border of the cliff, its ledges and projections, I 

 seemed almost to be on speaking terms with them. 



