54 BRITISH BIRDS. 



than St. Paul's from the pavement to the top of the cross. 

 The ledge is underhung and about two-thirds down the 

 face of a precipitous chalk cliff. It can be seen from a 

 bend above, a hundred yards to the south, and is easily 

 recognised by the green fringe of rank grass growing at 

 the edge. 



The professional " dimmers " were harvesting the 

 Guillemots' eggs, and I am glad to say that these birds 

 are more numerous than ever, probably due to the close 

 season for collecting the eggs now commencing on July 

 1st. The birds appear to be in nowise discouraged by 

 the taking of some 130,000 eggs each season from about 

 eight miles of cliff in six weeks. 



The " dimmers " work in parties of four, one going 

 down, while the remaining three lower and haul, and by 

 preconcerted signals on the rope, those above follow the 

 directions of the man below. I found no difficulty in 

 inducing the party that rents this portion of the cliff to 

 lower me to the eyrie. 



It was a calm day, and that delightful babel of noise 

 peculiar to a sea-bird's haunt in spring filled the air. 

 Guillemots and Razorbills lined the ledges and Puffins 

 squeezed themselves into the crevices, Kittiwakes 

 selecting the lower sites near the sea. 



Far down below, schools of black dots floated and 

 sported on the glassy sea, diving and chasing one another 

 in full enjoyment of the warm calm day. To my surprise, 

 a pair of Rock-Doves dashed out from behind a chimney 

 of rock not 100 feet above the Peregrines' ledge as I was 

 being lowered, apparently in nowise disturbed by the 

 close proximity of their dangerous neighbours. 



The Falcons took alarm as the slack rope was let 

 down, chattering noisily as they went out over the sea. A 

 few quick beats, followed by a lightning sweeping curve on 

 outspread wings marked their graceful and more rapid flight 

 among the direct passage of the innumerable Guillemots. 



The ledge was indented in the somewhat hollow-faced 

 side of cliff, but gave sufficient room to move in a bent 



