2826 The Zoologist — November, 1871. 



out to visit the breeding-haunts of the birds and see them on the 

 rocks. My own opinion is that each year as the birds increase, 

 greater and greater numbers of respectable people will be attracted 

 to Flamborough for the pleasure of viewing the glorious scenery of 

 the headland, with its countless feathered tenants. The element 

 of rowdyism was too rampant in the old days of bird-slaughter to 

 permit any real enjoyment of the fine coast scenery. 



The parties who were shooting during the first week in August 

 did not appear to be out for mere shooting's sake, but mainly to 

 obtain birds, either for preservation or for their skins. The great 

 attraction was the immature kittiwake, whose skin is now used, not 

 for plumes, — for the plume-trade is fast dying a natural death, — but 

 for making hand-screens. The shooters, however, appeared to me 

 to meet with indifferent success. The birds were becoming shy 

 and wary, and, as I have said before, are out at sea during the 

 day. 



My readers must excuse these remarks ; but my chief object in 

 visiting Flamborough at this season was to hear and see for myself 

 the practical working of this excellent Act. On the coast to the 

 south of the headland, this afternoon, I saw curlews, whimbrels 

 and godwits ; also quite a large flock of carrion crows — there must 

 have been thirty or forty altogether — feeding on the rocks left 

 uncovered by the ebb. There were also many rock pipits along 

 the cliff; and off the point, but some distance out, two gannets 

 were hovering. Mr. Bailey, who came round in his boat this 

 afternoon, had seen four Manx shearwaters in the. bay. 



We saw very few terns during our visit. Usually in the first 

 fortnight in this month many flocks appear off this coast. The 

 Sandwich terns are the first to arrive, preceding both the arctic and 

 common species. 



This evening I visited the caves at the base of the Speeton 

 rocks, for the chance of picking up a rock pigeon or two. We 

 found we were too soon ; later we saw them in small parties 

 dropping over the cliff' to their cotes, which they leave again 

 at day-break for the Yorkshire cornfields, now fast ripening to the 

 harvest. On our way out we had laid down a " long line," to 

 which at intervals was attached short lines and hooks, to the 

 number of several hundreds, each baited with a mussel ; the 

 extremities of the long line were marked and buoyed with floating 

 skins. On hauling in we had taken several cod, ling, haddock, 



