446 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



nest was. By swinging in, I was at length able to catch my foot 

 on a projecting cornice of rock, and then my brother, who stood 

 below to shout directions to the man above, told him to slack the 

 rope. I was thus able to get a hold of the rock with my hands. 

 Then, as he continued to slack the rope, I crawled further under 

 the cliff along a ledge which led to the nest, and at length was 

 able to reach the eggs, which fortunately were only a hand's length 

 in the hole. Pocketing these, I crawled back as far as possible, 

 and then, swinging away from the cliff, slid down to the ground. 

 Our companion was delighted when he saw the eggs, as he said 

 "dimmers" considered Eock Pigeons' eggs the most difficult to 

 get. I may mention that we several times saw tame Pigeons 

 fl3'ing about the cliffs in company with the genuine Blue-rocks. 

 When climbing on these cliff's we did not use " breeches," but 

 merely tied the rope under our arms. The "breeches" are 

 certainly more comfortable, as the rope then does not chafe. 



On June 27th, as we still observed the Cormorants visiting 

 the same part of the cliffs, we hired a boat and rowed out round 

 the Brigg, opposite the Point. We had not been there long 

 before a Cormorant flew up and alighted on a ledge, where it sat 

 watching us and preening its feathers ; but though we waited an 

 hour it would not show us its nest, and at length flew away. 

 While we were watching two other Cormorants flew past us and 

 disappeared behind the cliffs jutting out at Gristhorpe Bay. Next 

 morning we went across country to this baj', where we commenced 

 climbing, but could see no traces of Cormorants or their nests. 

 A pair of Kestrels screaming round told us they had a nest near. 

 One of the men then descended, and we saw him thrust his 

 arms into a fissure, below which we had I'emarked a quantity of 

 droppings. Then ensued a tremendous screaming and chattering 

 from within. Out fluttered a young hawk to the foot of the cliff, 

 and immediately after our man pulled out by the legs five young 

 Kestrels, screaming, fighting and clawing one another vindictively. 

 He said they were all standing in a row in a crevice of the cliff, 

 with no sign of a nest. 



We then climbed towards Scout Nab, but with very poor 

 success, finding only a few Herring Gull's nests. These were full 

 of dry grass and roots, and placed on ledges of the cliff, especially 

 where a little grass is growing, and are often in places most 

 difficult of access, doubtless from the incessant persecution to 



