July, 1858. EOTCHIES AND GULLS. 139 



range of cliffs, wliicli are composed of primary 

 rock, there exists much vegetation for so high 

 a latitude. From the fact of thick layers of 

 turf descending quite down to the sea, it is 

 evident that the land has been gradually sink- 

 ing. Steep slopes of rocky debris, which screen 

 the bases of the most precipitous cliffs, form 

 secure nurseries for the little auk ; these lo- 

 calities were literally alive with them ; they 

 popped in and out of every crevice, or sat in 

 groups of dozens upon every large rock. I have 

 nowhere seen such countless myriads of birds. 

 The rotehie, or little auk, lays its single egg upon 

 the bare rock, far within a crevice beyond the 

 reach of fox, owl, or burgomaster gull. We shot 

 a couple of hundred during our short stay on 

 shore, and, by removing the stones, gathered 

 several dozen of their eggs. 



The huge predatory gulls, long ago named 

 " Burgomasters " by the Dutch seamen (because 

 they lord it over their neighbours, and appro- 

 priate everything good to themselves), have 

 established themselves in the cliffs, where their 

 nests are generally inaccessible : we were a 

 month too late for their eggs ; the young birds 

 were as large as spring chickens. Of course we 

 obtained specimens of the red snow, but had to 

 seek rather diligently for it; its colour was a 



