EGGING ON THE COAST OF YORKSHIRE. 447 



which they are subjected by the "dimmers" from Filej', parties 

 of whom are constantly visiting them ; but in spite of this we 

 were told that these birds are not decreasing in numbers. They 

 make a tremendous outcry when their nests are approached, 

 hovering so close as to show the sparkling of their eyes, and all 

 the time screaming vociferously. We did not take any of their 

 eggs, for we had a sufficient number; and one of the men and 

 I kept climbing at intervals, in the hope of finding a Cormorant's 

 nest, but in vain. We only found two Jackdaws' nests with eggs, 

 and one Guillemot's egg, which, being a nicely marked specimen, 

 I secured after some difficulty. "We also found two plump young 

 Herring Gulls, as large as pullets, walking briskly along a ledge 

 halfway down the clifl". We saw but a single pair of Lesser Black- 

 backed Gulls during the three days we were on these cliff's. 



From the number of times we saw Cormorants turn in past 

 the Spa, I feel sure there were one or two nests there. A large 

 fissure ran into the cliff" in a slanting direction, but as the cliff" 

 hung over very much it was quite inaccessible, and my opinion is 

 the nests were in there. Had there been any nests on the face of 

 the cliff we should have seen them. A man who had been climbino 

 that week assured us that a Cormorant had flown from this very 

 fissure, nearly striking him as it hurried out, but that he could 

 not possibly climb into it. All whom we asked said Cormorants' 

 eggs had never been taken there ; but one climber said he once saw 

 a nest with three eggs on Scout Nab, but in an unapproachable 

 position. He said that Ravens had not built, or been seen, on 

 these cliffs for upwards of twenty years, though formerly they 

 bred there regularly ; and that one year he took some large-sized 

 eggs, of a pale green ground colour, with red blotches from the 

 cliffs near the Spa, and that remains of many bii'ds, &c., were 

 scattered about near, from which we judged them eggs of a hawk. 

 He sold them to a dealer in Filey, but on making enquiries we 

 found they had been again sold, though not identified. 



On July 3rd we visited Flamborough Caves, and found the 

 birds there were mostly Puffins, with a few Guillemots. On the 

 sloping banks on the shore between Filey and Speeton we found 

 nests of the Titlark, Linnet, Sedge Warbler, Sand Martin, Whin- 

 chat, and Hedgesparrow in abundance. We also noted Grass- 

 hopper Warblers and Stonechats, and found a Wheatear's nest 

 with young between Filey and the Brigg. House Martins had 



