THE GULL. 239 



dangers attendant on even the slightest bustling dis- 

 play of satisfaction. It was impossible not to feel 

 something like pity, for the dull life it was doomed 

 to lead in such a cradle; it being evident that, from 

 the moment of its quitting its egg-shell, to that 

 hour, the choice of standing on its right or left leg, 

 or a cautious putting forth of one foot before the 

 other, to the extent of a few inches, was the only 

 source of amusement or variety within its reach. 

 It was curious to observe the proceedings of many 

 of the older birds. The din was incessant, and 

 some seemed quite exhausted with screaming, or 

 hearing others scream; for they might be seen flying 

 off from the main body to a retired crag or niche, as 

 if to rest awhile in perfect silence. 



Now and then, indeed, as if by mutual consent, 

 the uproar entirely ceased, and the whole body 

 settled themselves on a rocky inclined plane, inter- 

 spersed with grass, just below the light-keepers' 

 dwellings, which formed their grand nursery esta- 

 blishment; for there, in every stage of growth, 

 hundreds of young ones were moving about. No 

 doubt each parent had a perfect knowledge of its 

 own offspring, though, generally speaking, there 

 were no signs of recognition; for, to all appearance, 

 old and young seemed to mingle, without much 

 reference to relationship; and a stranger might have 

 supposed there was a common property in the 

 nestlings. The only sign of parental attachment 

 was, that an old bird would now and then fix its 

 eye in a more pointed manner upon some one of 

 these living gray puff-balls of downy feathers, and 

 then, suddenly opening its mouth, deposit at the 



