258 BIRD-LIFE IN A SOUTHERN COUNTY. 



this part of the coast are from that locality, but 

 rather from the Bass Rock individuals that have 

 wandered south in autumn, and not north-east 

 round the Lizard. Mentioning the Gannets brings 

 to mind a note we made on the 2ist of October 

 1891, recording a somewhat remarkable scene. 

 It reads as follows : Razorbills fishing in small 

 parties in Tor Bay, close inshore. We watched a 

 party for a long time to-night rain coming down 

 in torrents, just before sunset. They were remark- 

 ably noisy, and their note exactly resembled the 

 croak of a frog. Parties of Sterna arctica and 

 S. hirundo in the bay, also fishing close inshore. 

 Saw one of these birds sit for a long time on the 

 cork float of a lobster pot. Gannets also fishing 

 in here. Flock of Gulls flying in a rainbow, the 

 birds looking just like bits of glass flashing to and 

 fro all around was gloom, and the sky shrouded 

 with ink-black clouds. This latter fact, from its 

 very novelty, so impressed itself upon our memory 

 that the singular, even weird effect has never been 

 forgotten, and we can recall it now as vividly as 

 though it were taking place before our eyes again. 

 In our long and varied experience of bird-life it 

 stands unique. 



