234 THE GULL. 



visited, and give, at the same time, some particulars 

 relative to the habits of the birds of which we are 

 now speaking. 



The spot we allude to, is at the back of a moun- 

 tain near Holyhead, which terminates abruptly in a 

 series of precipices. At the foot of one of these is a 

 small island, called the South Stack, on which a 

 light-house has been erected within the last few 

 years, well known to those who navigate the Irish 

 Channel. Upon this rock, which, before the erec- 

 tion of the light-house, was almost inaccessible, 

 myriads of sea-fowl used to build; but when the 

 works were commenced, in 1808, the unusual ap- 

 pearance of persons on the island, with their noisy 

 operation of blasting, so disturbed the proceedings 

 of the birds recently arrived, that, with the excep- 

 tion of a solitary pair of Gulls, the whole body, in- 

 cluding Guillemots and Razor-bills, took to flight, 

 leaving the workmen in full possession of a spot, 

 which the birds, from time unknown, had occupied 

 by a sort of prescriptive right. This solitary pair 

 had taken post on an inaccessible ledge of bare rock, 

 in the face of a precipice, and seemed to be aware, 

 that nothing but shot or stones could dislodge them. 

 Their determined confidence in the security of their 

 stronghold, met with its due reward, orders being 

 issued that none should molest them. The conse- 

 quence was, that in a short time they became quite 

 familiarized to the noise and bustle, and remained 

 until their young were reared, and in a condition to 

 shift for themselves. 



In the ensuing Spring, the same pair, as was sup- 

 posed, retook possession of their old post and strict 



