JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY 



25 



other in unchecked flight. 



A number of times one was seen to 

 light upon a rock, and with partly 

 closed wings run down to the edge of 

 it, and rising on its wings, disappear 

 to windward; to again reappear from 

 leeward. 



It seemed wonderful to me that in 

 the dark each bird could find its bur- 

 row among hundreds of others, as 

 the surounding conditions all looked 

 the same to me. 



That they do ever make a mistake 

 in going to their burrow would be an 

 interesting point for some close obser- 

 ving Ornithologist to prove. 



With an insect net which I had 

 taken with me, I found them an easy 

 victim, taking a number in that way. 



We watched the nocturnal exhibition 

 until 11 P. M. when fatigue warned us 

 that it was time to seek some rest as 

 beside other labors of the day we had 

 rowed seventeen miles, or more. 



As we walked toward our camp the 

 surface of the island seemed alive with 

 birds, and from all directions, on the 

 ground and in the air, could be heard 

 the sounds already mentioned. 



Reaching our camp we prepared for 

 sleep and were soon in the arms of — 

 Did I say Morpheus? I meant mos- 

 quitoes! 



Brother Norton and I were soon en- 

 gaged in most laborious gesticulations, 

 each trying to out do the other. 



Brother Norton said the mosquitoes 

 bothered me much as they did him 

 when on a former visit four years be- 

 fore. 



• To that information I made no reply 

 but was very careful a fist did not 

 meet me in the face, with which the air 

 was filled. 



Having gone through all the muscu- 

 lar movements known to me I conclud- 

 ed to leave Brother Norton master of 

 the situation. 



Donning a sweater 1 again started 



over the island to watch the petrels, 

 for sleep, to me, was impossible. 



I soon settled myself among our 

 early evening friends and listened to 

 their droll chuckle, my imagination 

 forming most fantastic shapes. Sud- 

 denly a thought occurred which start- 

 led me from my dreams; Brother Nor- 

 ton was a martyr for the cause of Or- 

 nithology. 



A feeling of envy came over me as I 

 recalled the tales I had read: how peo- 

 ple had given up their lives for their 

 cause; how, under the most cruel tor- 

 ture they had expired with a smile on 

 their faces and I at once concluded 

 Brother Norton should not have all 

 the honor of the expedition, so I 

 speedily returned to the camp. 



Before again lying down I concluded 

 to build a small fire, or smudge as it 

 is often called, to drive away our ene- 

 mies and at once had a blazing fire 

 which illuminated our surroundings. 



I then turned my eyes toward my 

 companion who, exhausted with his 

 efforts to protect himself, had at last 

 relapsed into forgetfulness. 



The light from the fire shed its glow 

 upon his face, and such an expression 

 may I never see again; the envious 

 feelings which had at first taken pos- 

 session of my mind were substituted 

 by those of pity, and again lying down 

 beside him, I, too, gave myself up to 

 the miseries of the night. 



About 5 A. M. I awoke. The sky 

 was cloudy and looked as though it 

 might rain. 



Awakening Mr. Norton we at once 

 commenced our labors for the day. 



Another hasty survey of the island 

 soon convinced us that others had 

 been there before us, and not for sci- 

 entific purposes either. The fact was 

 manifested by the trodden grass and 

 plants, and the number of empty nests 

 bore testimony that man had not gone 

 away empty handed. 



