WATER FOWL. 389 



much less to climb or descend. In some places 

 the fowlers are seen climbing where they can only 

 fasten the ends of their toes and fingers, not shun- 

 ning such places, though there be an hundred 

 fathom between them and the sea. It is a dear 

 meat for these poor people, for which they must 

 venture their lives ; and many, after long ventur- 

 ing, do at last perish therein. 



" When the fowl is brought home, a part there- 

 of is eaten fresh ; another part, when there is much 

 taken, being hung up for winter provision. The 

 feathers are gathered to make merchandise of, 

 for other expenses. The inhabitants get a great 

 many of these fowls, as God giveth his blessing 

 and fit weather. When it is dark and hazy, they 

 take most, for then the birds stay in the rocks ; 

 but in clear weather, and hot sunshine, they seek 

 the sea. When they prepare to depart for the 

 season, they keep themselves most there, sitting 

 on the cliffs towards the sea-side, w r here people 

 get at them sometimes with boats, and take them 

 with fowling-staves." 



Such is the account of this historian ; but we 

 are not to suppose that all the birds caught in 

 this manner are of the gull kind : on the contrary, 

 numbers of them are of the penguin kind ; auks, 

 puffins, and guillemots. These all come, once a 

 season, to breed in these recesses ; and retire in 

 winter to fish in more southern climates. 



