58 ORNITHOLOGICAL RAMBLES. 



in detail occurred, and the scene appeared to shift and 

 alter like the changes in a play; illustrating in a 

 beautiful manner the interesting fact that each species 

 of bird, even in this limited space, frequents, during 

 the all-important incubatory process, its own special 

 locality chosen by itself, according to its nature and 

 position, perfectly distinct from the rest bounded by a 

 land-mark as rigidly observed as those of neighbours 

 in a well-regulated kingdom, and wisely and accurately 

 adapted to the nature and habits of the bird. Do 

 you remember Luciana's words in the " Comedy of 

 Errors?" 



" There's nothing, situate under heaven's eye, 

 But hath his bound, in earth, in sea, in sky : 

 The beasts, the fishes, and the winged fowls, 

 Are their males' subject, and at their controuls : 

 Men, more divine, the masters of all these, 

 Lords of the wide world, and wild watery seas, 

 Indued with intellectual sense and souls, 

 Of more pre-eminence than fish and fowls, 

 Are masters to their females and their lords : 

 Then let your will attend on their accords." 



Far above, out of harm's reach, the dark and 

 gloaming shags were resting on their nests, constructed 

 on projections apparently not half big enough to hold 

 them, and looking no bigger than rooks. Oh ! how 

 easy to shoot them as they sit, and thus bag any 

 number to your heart's content. But no. Distance, 



