9294 Birds. 
birds constantly swimming about, particularly puffins and guillemots. 
The readers of the ‘ Zoologist’ who have not visited the beautiful Bay 
of Filey may need to be informed that it is one of the finest in the 
United Kingdom. When in office, Sir John Pakington intended to 
make it a harbour of refuge; the bay was surveyed and approved of, 
but a change of Ministry put an end to the plan. 
On the 27th of July, accompanied by three very young gentlemen, 
I paid another visit to the magnificent cliffs at Flamborough Head; 
the wind was off the land, the sea was calm, and we had an excellent 
day’s sport among the puffins, guillemots, kittiwakes and other birds, 
the frequenters of these cliffs. ‘These birds continue breeding until 
late in July, probably in consequence of the great destruction of eggs 
before alluded to. What a pity that these poor creatures are not pro- 
tected in the season of incubation! Yorkshire is a sporting county, 
and why do not the gentlemen unite and raise a small fund to prevent 
the collection of the eggs at unseasonable times of the year, that is, 
during April, May, and until the 24th of June? But for the great 
height of these cliffs the whole of the birds would be destroyed. At 
Filey it was stated that quantities of eggs of all the species of birds 
mentioned, besides ducks, cormorants and gulls, are sold in the town 
and neighbourhood, and the people say that they are as good for the 
table as hen’s eggs: a good many of them are sold as specimens. 
The bridled guillemot (Uria lacrymans) has become a very scarce 
bird in these cliffs, and, independent of their height, it is really a 
piece of foolhardiness to gather the eggs: the cliffs are in many 
places rent by fissures perpendicularly made for several hundred feet ; 
and the caves and hollow passages touching the sea and near the 
“Cross,” seem to give a special warning that some mighty avalanches 
or great land-slips are not far distant. 
On the whole, I should rejoice to see some protection given to these 
poor sea-birds, and this can only be done by the landowners and 
farmers whose territory abuts upon the sea. The birds might still be 
shot from the water, but that would be a trifling matter compared to 
the destruction of their nests and eggs; and should a stringent 
rule be made to enforce the preservation of the latter, no good 
sportsman or right-thinking man would trespass at improper seasons 
of the year. 
These cliffs are well worthy the attention of naturalists, particularly 
of those who delight in unravelling the histories of the different species 
of sea-birds, many of which have already been driven from their 
haunts. 
