FARNE ISLANDS AND THEIR BIRDS 173 



the campion, but nearer the shore the eggs resemble 

 in a remarkable way the pebbles and seaweed. There 

 are three kinds of terns found here the arctic, 

 sandwich, and roseate. The last-named is rare, and 

 can only be recognised by one who is acquainted 

 with the species. 



Although we kept a sharp look-out we did not see 

 any of these. The arctic and sandwich to a certain 

 extent keep separate. There are more of the arctic 

 terns on the Wideopens, while on the Noxes we 

 find a great many of the sandwich terns. In places 

 the latter's eggs are laid so close together, that at a 

 distance, sitting birds look like a white sheet. I was 

 able to include as many as sixteen nests of these on 

 one half-plate negative. I tried to obtain photographs 

 of both birds sitting. On one morning I placed my 

 camera near a group of arctic terns' eggs, and 

 arranged the electric wires over one nest so that 

 when the bird returned she would release the shutter. 

 Three attempts were made, and on each occasion the 

 bird returned, but instead of sitting at once she very 

 carefully removed the fine wires. I thought that I 

 set these so that if either was touched it would 

 connect the circuit ; but this knowing little bird 

 managed to lift the wires on all three occasions 

 without letting one touch the other. It was really 

 remarkable how she did this. Being unable to 

 obtain a picture in this way, I attached about 



