272 THE COUNTRY CLERGYMAN. 



tection the place afforded ; while all along the 

 cliffs and hollows on the main they could scarcely 

 perch upon a spot that was secure from the visits 

 of the young men and boys of the neighbourhood, 

 who let each other down the rocks to get the eggs, 

 which are by some used for food, and by others 

 bought from motives of curiosity. The gulls being 

 thus disturbed on the coast, numbers came in the 

 sixth year after their departure, and made their 

 nests on the rock, and every succeeding year has 

 since added much to their number. 



Last summer there were scores of nests on the 

 south-west part of the island, which is accessible to 

 pedestrians, besides great numbers in the caverns 

 and on the shelves of rocks. 



It is remarkable that only two pairs of the black 

 gulls before mentioned have returned, and still 

 remain a part, from the others as before, and build 

 on the outer part of the rock. The number of 

 other birds, razor-bills and guillimots, have not 

 much encreased ; the part of the rock which they 

 usually frequented has been made the landing 

 place, and this of course, must keep them at a dis- 

 tance. It is very evident that the return of the 

 gulls to the rock, is to be attributed to the protec- 

 tion and quietness they have lately found there, 

 and from being gradually familiarized with the per- 

 sons of the light-keepers and the movements of the 

 place, they are now quite at their ease. The light- 



