The Sea Birds' Fortress 



241 



for their nests are scattered all over the perpendicular face of the frowning 

 cliff; every available little ledge or shelf is appropriated by them, and it is remark- 

 able to see how narrow a shelf will serve to support their nests of seaweed; they 

 must be securely built to support the weight of parents and young on such an 

 apparently insecure foundation, and at such a dizzy height above the dangerous 

 rocks and thundering surf. But they seemed to be successful in hatching their 

 two, or sometimes three, speckled 

 eggs and raising the tiny gray balls 

 of down to maturity. A swing over 

 the cliff in the crate was necessary 

 to see them at close quarters, and a 

 most interesting hour was spent in 

 this way. 



Standing securely in the stout 

 box we were lifted from the ground, 

 the long arm of the derrick swung 

 outward into space, and we were 

 lowered gradually down the face of 

 the cliff, a novel and delightful way 

 of calling on the birds that were 

 nesting on its ledges. 



At first a startled cloud of Gulls 

 flew out and circled about us, pro- 

 testing that we "keep away," but 

 they soon settled down again on 

 their nests, where we photographed 

 them at our leisure. They were 

 confiding little fellows, and would sit 

 quietly on their little shelves within 

 a few feet of us, turning their beau- 

 tiful snow-white heads to look at us, 

 but showing no signs of fear. They 

 were the daintiest birds of all with 

 their delicate pearl-gray backs and 

 bright yellow bills, making the pret- 

 tiest of pictures as they sat upon their 

 eggs, or stood brooding over their 

 tender young protecting them from 

 the sun. 



The crate was then lowered to 

 another ledge where a party of 

 Murres were sitting on their eggs. 

 These innocent sea birds build no kittiwakes on their nests 



