Destruction of Birds at Sea 



of oil, and amongst the rocks it was much 

 thicker, having the appearance of thick 

 chocolate sauce, and being in some places 

 six or seven inches deep (Scottish Naturalist, 

 September 1915, pp. 282-4). The birds, with 

 their feathers matted with oil, were unable 

 either to fly or dive, and in the end starved 

 to death. GUILLEMOTS, RAZORBILLS, and PUF- 

 FINS died in enormous numbers, and EIDER- 

 DUCKS also suffered (Bristol Times and Mirror, 

 ig.v.i6). An observer of the November 

 catastrophe writes that the beach was sticky 

 and foul, and one day the breakers were 

 black, the feathers of the GULLS were dis- 

 coloured, GUILLEMOTS especially suffered and 

 even died because of the clogging of their 

 plumage and their consequent inability to 

 fly ; prawns were uneatable, and even fish 

 were tainted from the same cause (West- 

 minster Gazette, S.xi.is). On one occasion a 

 GREEN PARROT completed the list of dead, 

 probably a pet washed off some ship (Country 

 Life, 2.ix.i6). 



No such catastrophes were again recorded 

 till the end of April 1918, when a number of 



77 



