MISCELLANEA. 357 



XX. — Miscellanea — Bird No tices. 



Bird Life o« the Fame Islarids.^- — On the 10th July, 1890, I 

 joined an excursion to North Sunderland and the Fame Islands 

 with about ten other members of the Club. We met for break- 

 fast at the Castle Inn, Sea-Houses, intending afterwards to visit 

 the Fame Islands. The outlook towards the sea was most un- 

 favourable, as it had begun to rain in earnest, but as we had 

 come specially to visit the Islands none of us appeared daunted 

 by the steady rain that had set in ; — so, clad in oilskin jackets, 

 waterproof coats, and under cover of sundry umbrellas, we set 

 sail merrily and were soon carried over the five miles that 

 separated us from the Outer Fames. 



Our first object was to see the place where that ill-fated vessel 

 the Forfarshire was wrecked and part of the crew and passengers 

 rescued by the heroic Grace Darling and her father. "We then 

 landed on the Island known as the Harcars. As we struggled 

 up their smoothly-polished and steep surface there was little 

 worthy of notice, but when upon the top a sight presented itself 

 ever by me to be remembered. The very first object of interest 

 was the birth of a Lesser Black-backed Gull.f The little creature 

 had cracked the shell all round, and just as I cast my eyes upon 

 it, struggled out and rolled upon the cold, bare stone, wet and 

 forlorn. To one of the boatmen who stood near I said this little 

 bird will have but a poor chance for life, but he replied they are 

 hardy little fellows, the parent bird will soon come and warm it 

 and it will be all right in a very short time. I next observed 

 eggs in all stages of incubation and young birds of all ages, from 

 the one just hatched up to those strong enough to fly. 



As I was just recovering from an attack of gout, and not being 

 able to walk over the rough, slippery, rocky ground alone, I 

 obtained the help of one of the boatmen to assist me and act as 

 my guide, and I found him a most intelligent observer of the 



* Abstract of a Paper read at the Field Meeting held at Chester-le-Street and Lamb- 

 ton Castle, May 27th, 1891. 



t As the Gulls make a large rough nest for their eggs and young it is probable that 

 this was the young of one of the Terns which make no nest. — Ed. 



