3818 The Zoologist — January, 1874. 



surprised, when his gun went off, to find that it had only about as 

 much effect as his rifle upon them, there being a current tradition 

 on board that on a former voyage Mr. Smith had killed forty at 

 once by firing right and left into the crowd which had collected 

 round the boat to hear him shout. That, however, was a mere 

 nothing, though quite true. At Alk Range, in Hinlopeu Straits, 

 there were so many of them in the cliffs that we could have filled 

 a whale-boat with them if we had pleased without firing a single 

 shot. The range is about three-quarters of a mile in length, three 

 or four hundred feet in height, and is a series of sheer precipices 

 full of ledges full of birds. A man had only to climb up to a ledge, 

 and he could catch as many looms as he wished with his hands, 

 taking hold of them one after another by the neck. A few perhaps 

 might fly away whilst he was occupied with their neighbours next 

 door ; but if he only sat down a minute or two they would come 

 back and alight within his reach. We in the boat would be below 

 picking them up as fast as he could throw them down to us, some- 

 times varying our occupation by making raids with poles and boat- 

 hooks, as we stood in the boat, upon such ledgesful of birds as 

 were within eight or ten feet of the water. They did not take much 

 notice of us. It was astonishing to see how many pokes and raps 

 upon the head a loom would bear before it would so much as con- 

 descend to look at us, or make an attempt to fly. Some would not 

 stir an inch, do what we would, while poles were rattling against 

 the rocks within an inch of their faces. Others now and then took 

 headers into the boat, where they soon became very quiet, or 

 shooting just clear of it fell into the midst of seal-clubs and sticks 

 that were guarding the approaches to the sea. Seldom was a diving 

 bird secured ; the only chance of making sure of them was to 

 prevent their reaching the water. To cut matters short, in the 

 course of an hour or two we sailed from the cliffs with five or six 

 dozen of the looms, and about as many of their eggs in the boat. 

 They were wanted for food ; that was our object in killing so many : 

 for if the skin be removed before they are cooked their flavour is 

 excellent. From Alk Range these birds were in the habit of flying 

 to Lomme Bay (which is doubtless named after them), and even 

 farther up the Straits, to fish, travelling together in flocks of from 

 forty to two hundred or more. These flights passed over us in 

 rapid succession. Outside the southern entrance to the Straits we 

 saw upon another occasion an immense concourse of looms fishing. 



