218 THE BIRDS OF OUR RAMBLES. 



could ever get or keep a foothold. Here, on the 

 narrow ledges and on the little projections far 

 down the awful depths, you may see the birds at 

 their nests, standing on them, or fluttering along 

 past the face of the cliff, in places enough to* 

 terrify the most intrepid human climber. These 

 nests are made of turf with the soil and roots 

 still clinging to them, which the salt spray and 

 wet feet of the birds soon turn into a mortar-like 

 mass ; then seaweed and stalks of plants are used, 

 and the whole is lined with fine, dry grass, and 

 perhaps a few odd feathers from the parent's 

 plumage. The droppings from the birds soon 

 whitewash the whole, as well as the rocks all 

 round it. The eggs are three or four in number, 

 bluish green or yellowish or olive- brown in 

 ground colour, spotted and blotched with dark 

 and light brown and gray. The moment their 

 homes are threatened, the Kitti wakes set up a 

 noisy clamour, rising here, there, and every- 

 where from the face of the cliffs in fluttering 

 hosts, drifting to and fro in anxious alarm. As 

 soon as the young can fly the rocks are deserted, 

 and for the remainder of the year the Kittiwake 

 spends most of its time at sea. The food of this 

 Gull is fish, crustaceans, shell-fish, and almost 

 any refuse floating on the water. 



Rocky Next to the Kittiwake the GREAT BLACK- 



e^peSiiiyin BACKED GULL (Zr. marinus] is certainly the most 

 rock-haunting species. At the same time it is 

 one of the most local of the Gulls besides being 

 the largest. It is also much less gregarious, and 

 is more inclined to breed in scattered pairs in the 

 least frequented parts of the coast. It makes its 

 bulky nest in early summer upon the top of some 



