722 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



The method by which the young reach the water from 

 their lofty nurseries is a problem regarding which there is 

 considerable diversity of opinion, though the evidence of 

 the Flamborough fishermen, who are most capable of forming 

 a correct idea, and who have assured me they have seen the 

 operation hundreds of times, is to the effect that the chicks 

 are conveyed on their parents' backs, the latter launching 

 themselves off the ledges and often reaching the sea a quarter 

 of a mile from the shore.* Mr. M. Bailey told me he has 

 frequently seen the young brought down " to water " in the 

 manner described ; and Mr. F. Boyes was once witness of 

 the act of an old Guillemot carrying down its little one, which 

 it did almost perpendicularly, and with very quick beating 

 of its wings. His attention was attracted by the squeaking, 

 or rather whistling, of the youngster, as if it were much 

 afraid ; he could not see the chick, but as soon as the old 

 bird reached the sea it dived, leaving the young one on the 

 surface. As the birds dropped within twenty yards of the 

 boat there could be no mistake as to what took place (Zool. 

 1875, p. 4342). I once watched a number of Guillemots 

 disporting themselves like children in the water at Staple 

 Neuk. They climbed up a sloping boulder, jumped from the 

 top into the sea, dived and played for a few seconds, then 

 swam round and once more climbed up the rock, repeating 

 the performance continually ; on another occasion, in July 

 1904, I witnessed, from the cliff tops, a fight between two 

 Guillemots, one of which adopted the tactics ol a submarine, 

 coming up underneath and evidently torpedoing its adversary, 

 which, after repeated attacks of this nature, eventually 

 fled out to sea. As is well known, the predatory propensities 

 of the Jackdaws at Bempton cliffs are accountable for the 

 destruction of many Guillemots' eggs, and a case of retributive 

 justice came under the notice of George Londesborough 

 and the late George Wilkinson, who saw an enraged Guillemot 

 lay hold of a thieving Daw and carry it out to sea three times, 



* Charles Waterton was informed of this fact so long ago as 1834, 

 and his observations on the subject are worthy of consideration (" Essays 

 on Natural History," p. 411). 



