548 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 



immense numbers, and about Tenby, I am sorry to 

 say, they are most ruthlessly shot down by sporting 

 tourists. I have seen whole boat-loads brought 

 home from Caldy Island to Tenby and thrown away 

 on the beach, to say nothing of dead and wounded 

 left about on the sea : when we consider that this 

 was in the middle of the breeding season and very 

 many of the birds thus shot were employed in feeding 

 their young, who must have been left to starve on 

 the cliffs, it does seem almost a pity that we have 

 not an Act of Parliament to protect these and all our 

 other sea-birds for the short time of their breeding 

 season say June to August.* 



The eggs of the Guillemot are placed on the bare 

 ledges of the rocks, without any nest, and often in 

 very exposed situations, where it seems wonderful 

 they are not blown off by the wind, but probably 

 their pear-shape protects them from this, as they 

 only run round when moved by the wind. Whether 

 these birds have any predilection for their own eggs 

 I cannot say, but I should think not, as it must be 

 very difficult for them to identify their own amongst 

 the numbers lying about on the rock, in spite of the 

 extraordinary difference of colour in the eggs them- 

 selves. The parents are said to carry their young 

 down to the water on their backs, but I have never 



* Such an Act of Parliament, but giving a longer time, 

 has now been passed. 



