on Rambles among the Wild Birds. 67


Rock Doves and Stock Doves were also breeding in the

caves and on the cliffs, but the four species first mentioned in this

“ ramble ” are those which especially claim these cliffs as their

summer home, and which chiefly delight the bird-loving visitors.


Such w T as my first impression of these famous white walls,

but it only whetted my appetite to see them again on a fine day.

Accordingly a few days later, June 23rd, I managed to snatch

another holiday, and journeying this time alone, found myself at

mid-day once more on the edge of those sea cliffs. And how

different were the conditions of the weather! In place of the

driving rain a warm sun shone down from an almost cloudless

sky, the heat being tempered by a light N.E. breeze. The cliff-

climbers were busy with their work, which consists of gathering

for sale the sea birds eggs which in hundreds and thousands are

laid on the ledges and crannies of the cliffs. This right of egg

gathering is granted by the neighbouring farmers to about four

gangs of men, who keep strictly to their own ground. The

season for gathering begins about the third week in May and

finishes at the end of June. After that date the birds are allowed

to lay their eggs and hatch out their young in peace. It is stated

that from these cliffs some 130,000 eggs, chiefly Guillemot’s, are

taken in a season, but in spite of this the birds are said to in¬

crease yearly. Most of the eggs are used as food, being sold at a

wholesale price of about twelve or sixteen a shilling ; others are

applied to the processes of clarifying wine and dressing patent

leather. Visitors to the cliff top can pick ordinary specimens

from the men’s baskets at twopence apiece, but exceptionally

well marked varieties have been sold for seven shillings and six¬

pence each or even more.


Razorbills and Guillemots produce only one egg at a lay¬

ing, but if this is taken a second or even a third is laid at

intervals of from seventeen to twenty days. These last facts I

have gathered from an authority who knows these cliffs well.


It afforded me great interest to watch the gangs at

work. The process appeared to be as follows. A member of

the gang (consisting of about five men) first drives an iron stake

into the ground at the cliff top, to which a hand-rope is attached

and the loose end flung over the cliff. The ‘dimmer,’as the



