36 FRESHWATER CLIFFS. 



the region of birds. Between the highest part and Sun 

 Corner the cliff is more than perpendicular, it positively 

 overhangs : here, then, is the retreat of innumerable 

 sea-birds; here the foot of man has never trodden; here 

 patent percussions were of no avail. The inmates were 

 already on the move : guillemots and razor-bills, in parties 

 of tens, twenties, and thirties, were continually dropping 

 from their stations, and whirling on rapid wing towards the 

 ocean; the great burgomasters, far, far above the summit, 

 were wheeling round and round, like eagles, and utter- 

 ing continually their sonorous and piercing call ; while in 

 the distance the smaller herring-gulls were collecting by 

 hundreds about the Needles. The fishermen now pulled 

 us right in for the cliff; and, as we approached, what a 

 sight did we witness ! Every inch of projecting rock was 

 occupied : there were hundreds, thousands, millions of 

 birds. I should premise, that throughout the surface of 

 the cliff are excavated ledges, which are caused by layers 

 of a softer substance intervening, that has crumbled, per- 

 haps partly with frost, and partly with the operations of 

 the tenants : these softer strata are perforated like honey- 

 combs by the puffins. Along these ledges the birds were 

 crowded so thickly, as positively to push the foremost ones 

 off by the pressure from behind, as fresh troops issued from 

 their holes : these would fly a little way, and, returning, 

 settle on the heads of others, and thus, by slipping in, find 

 themselves a footing, the foremost birds being obliged to 

 tumble off, as these intruders had previously done. Some 

 ledges were occupied solely by puffins, whose conspicuous 

 bills, and squat though upright position, rendered them 

 instantly distinguishable. The little fellows turned their 

 heads sharply on their shoulders, first on one side, then on 



