I2 3 



Hawks and Owls are sometimes captured on 

 board, but they are mostly observed before dawn 

 perched on some part of the rigging near the 

 lamps. 



On one, occasion the glass of the lights of the 

 Newarp was found broken, and a Duck of some 

 kind that the crew were unacquainted with was 

 discovered inside the lantern. 



Grey Geese, Mallard and various sorts of wild 

 fowl used now and then to be obtained, but from 

 all I could hear, the numbers of these birds have 

 diminished greatly of late years. 



Snipe were stated to be among the commonest 

 captures, but during the whole of the winter I only 

 received a single specimen of this species. Wood- 

 cocks are supposed by the light-keepers to be 

 particularly swift-flying birds, as they are generally 

 picked up on deck much cut and injured by striking 

 against the lamps or rigging. The real cause of 

 such mishaps must I should imagine be attributed 

 to the weighty condition of the bird at the time of 

 the accident. I found that the Knot was well 

 known as being of frequent occurrence. They 

 were described as flying in large bodies and numbers 

 falling at once on deck. One of the men declared 

 that the last flocks of these waders that he had 

 observed had suddenly shied when close to the 

 lantern and that but one or two had been taken. 



It is stated that many years ago over one 

 thousand birds were one morning collected on board 

 the Newarp. Whether this was really the case or 

 not I do not pretend to say,^ but all my informants 

 agreed in the fact that there was every year a great 

 falling off in the number of birds so taken. 



* I afterwards learned from an old man, who declared he was on 

 board at the time, that the above statement was perfectly true. He also 

 added that 600 of the birds which were principally Larks were put into 

 one gigantic pie. I have a slight recollection of seeing an account of 

 this fact in some paper, which published the history of the light-ships of 

 the eastern coast. 



