AT THE SOUTH STACK. 425 



short excursion, and jostling the whole line, send a dozen or 

 two backwards over the dizzy height, croaking disappro- 

 bation at the intruders, who took the vacant places, utterly 

 disregarding the confusion they had caused. It was impossible 

 at first sight to divest oneself of an involuntary shudder, as 

 they tumbled backwards headlong into the abyss, where the 

 sea was roaring and lashing the rocks below them, their squat 

 plump bodies supported only by such comparatively dispro- 

 portioned wings. One felt at every moment a sort of rising 

 exclamation, " Ah, poor bird, nothing can save it ; it must 

 be killed !" when, flapping its little pinions, away it went, 

 cleaving the air, making its circuit of a mile or so, skimming 

 now and then over the sea, but never touching the waves, 

 and then rejoining its friends on the ledge, and in its turn 

 jostling the line, and causing a similar ejectment of half a 

 dozen others. In these solitary flights, however, they now 

 and then meet with unpleasant adventures, as certain Hawks 

 inhabiting the mainland occasionally make a dash at them. 

 One day, the light-keepers were witnesses of one of these 

 curious rencontres. 



The Hawk was seen in full chase of a Razor-bill, but 

 aware, probably, of the toughness of its skin, instead of 

 assaulting his prey with the usual death-pounce from the 

 beak, he seized the unfortunate bird by the head with both 

 his claws, and made towards the land, his prisoner croaking, 

 screaming, and struggling lustily ; and, being a heavy bird, 

 so far incommoded or over-balanced its aggressor, that both 

 descended fast towards the sea, when, just as they touched 

 the water, the Hawk let go his hold and ascended, the 

 Razor-bill as instantaneously diving below. 



Amidst the myriads of old ones, we looked in vain for 

 anything like a corresponding number of young, but scarcely 

 a single individual was to be seen. It is true that the 

 females produce only one egg; but still that could not 

 account for the small number visible : we could only there- 

 fore suspect, from certain friendly croakings uttered by the 

 old ones, when turning their heads towards little chinks, 



