Bird Fishers of the Sea 



it was ludicrous to watch the puffins soaring round the rocks, 

 or rather endeavouring to soar, their small stunted wings 

 giving them a most comical appearance, for the puffin is the 

 very last bird that one might expect to see sailing on motion- 

 less wings in the teeth of a strong breeze. 



On revisiting this island in the last week of August, out 

 of the countless thousands of puffins, razorbills, and guille- 

 mots which had nested here, I could see only two puffins 

 still catering for their young, while not a single razorbill or 

 guillemot remained, so that the island, which six weeks earlier 

 had pulsated with life, was now strangely quiet and deserted. 



ia9 



