136 



BRITISH BIRDS. 



[vol. vm. 



and their table maimers — ^for Cormorants — ^were quite 

 good ; but the noise they made during the progress 

 of the meal was like that produced by four unoiled 

 pump handles aU working inharmoniously together. 

 Between July 21st and July 26th a continuous gale 

 raged, but on the 27th there came a lull, and I made 

 a dash for my birds, securing the one bright hour of the 



Fig. 6. THROWING LEAVES OVERBOARD. 

 {Photographed "by Miss E. L. Tiirner.) 



day for my work. This was the first time I obtained 

 a photograph of all four nestlings together. Just after 

 mounting the ladder a sudden heavy shower forced 

 me to shut up the camera and descend. Then occurred 

 one of the prettiest sights it was my luck to witness, 

 but I had to remain fretting and fuming on the ground. 

 The four young birds stood upright and flapped their 

 wings in unison all the time the storm lasted, twisting 

 their heads from side to side with quaint, sinuous move- 

 ments, and evincing every symptom of keen enjoyment. 

 They were at all times amusing, and the first and fourth 



