'42 BRITISH BIRDS, WITH THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. 



Dunn, from observations in the Orkney and Shetland Islands, states that the 

 young birds take to the water immediately after they leave the shell, and that he 

 had repeatedly seen them in their downy state swimming in company with the 

 old birds. Montagu, on the other hand, says that the young seldom leave the 

 rocks until they can fly. Both statements are correct, as far as a portion of the 

 young birds are concerned. I have myself seen young birds, partly grown, on the 

 cliffs. I could see nothing in the way of food outwardly visible in the old birds 

 bills as they came up to the ledges ; but, on the other hand, fish may be seen 

 hanging out of the Puffin's bills. 



Taking the eggs of this bird is an important industry at some of the great 

 breeding stations, notably so at Flamborough. So much so, that the visitor, in 

 passing through the village on the way to the headland, may notice the " Sea 

 Birds" Inn, which sports upon its sign-board coloured representations of Scout, 

 Parrot and Auk (i.e., Guillemot, Puffin and Razorbill). Climbing begins about 

 the middle of May. 



Few pleasanter experiences fall to the lot of the ornithologist than a visit to 

 one of the large breeding places of this bird at the right season Flamborough 

 for instance. 



In some places the birds are seen thickly clustered together or in long rows, 

 while others are constantly coming up from the sea, or dropping off the ledges 

 to gain the water below. From the groups you hear cries, loud or soft, of 

 mnrrrrr, or arrrrrrr, or garrrrrr, swelling every now and then into a loud chorus. 

 The last variation, when loud, exactly resembles the angry or frightened scream 

 of a deep voiced domestic cock. A bird rising from the sea to reach a ledge near 

 at hand, but high up, has to circle round and approach the ledge gradually, as it 

 cannot rise abruptly. Thus the flocks of birds seen flying in at evening approach 

 the cliffs in an oblique direction. If a bird when attempting to settle on a ledge, 

 fails in doing so (as it is very likely to do when the ledge is crowded, the other 

 birds receiving the new comer open mouthed and pecking at it), it drops down 

 some distance at once, and, flying out to sea again, makes two or three turns to 

 regain its elevation before again attempting to settle. Sometimes, on a bird 

 arriving on a crowded ledge, you hear cries like ouk, ouk breaking out, and every 

 now and then a chorus of arrrrrrrs is heard, and sometimes a soft murrrrrr. 

 Guillemots are constantly nodding and bowing. They are clumsy birds on land, 

 and waddle with difficulty ; they rest on the tarsus as well as the webbed toes. 

 Their flight is strong and fast, and the line of it direct, but they do not rise 

 very readily from the water. I cannot say that I ever saw a Guillemot try to 

 rise from level ground, but it is said that they cannot do so. From the top of 



