2l6 BIRD-LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 



and were well able to fly. We first detected one 

 bird, by its fluttering on the ledge of the cliff, and 

 shortly afterwards we sighted the three others, all 

 within an area of a few yards. They seemed to 

 be spending their time in exercising their wings. 

 First one would take a short flight to another part 

 of the broken cliff, sometimes upwards, sometimes 

 downwards ; then another, and another would fol- 

 low in succession a sort of follow-my-leader 

 game. Occasionally one of the birds flew to a 

 stunted bush growing near the top of the cliff, 

 poising with fluttering wings until it finally settled 

 on the uppermost twigs, as lightly as a tuft of 

 thistledown. Then another bird followed and 

 tried to perch on the same small bush, with the 

 result that both had to take wing. Every now 

 and then the birds floated as it were in a butterfly- 

 like manner to a lower level of the cliffs. Some- 

 times all of them were in motion together, more 

 frequently one or two would stand quietly on the 

 ledges whilst the others gambolled about. Not a 

 trace of the old birds was seen. Either the brood 

 had been deserted and left to take care of them- 

 selves they were certainly strong enough upon 

 the wing or the more wary parents had dis- 



