71 



The Murres, Razor-billed Auks, and Puffins were rather 

 sociably inclined, and nested together all over the rock, but 

 seemed to prefer the eastern face, for there we found them most 

 numerous. 



The Puffins burrow deeply in the soft sandstone, and the eggs 

 were secured with considerable difficulty, though the birds 

 seemed to be more numerous than we had expected. A single 

 egg is the full complement, and they are stained a deep red 

 from the sandstone in which they are laid, though their real 

 color is white. 



The Razor-bills selected deep crevices and hollows in the rock 

 in which to lay their eggs, and would often allow themselves to 

 be surprised on their nests. They can be captured without 

 difficulty, though I should advise anyone making the attempt 

 to proceed with due caution. The name Razor-bill is not a jest, 

 for one which we captured secured a good grip on Wilcox's 

 finger, and could not be induced to relinquish his hold until 

 after he had nipped off a portion of the flesh. 



The Murres nested in long rows along the ledges, and fluttered 

 away only on our near approach. Two species breed on the 

 rock, viz., Briinnich's and Common Murres (including the 

 so-called Ringed Murre). The Ringed Murre has a white circle 

 about its eye, and a white line running straight back from the 

 ring to the ear. The Briinnich's Murre is more abundant than 

 the Common, and the Ringed are scarce, only about twenty 

 individuals of the latter type being seen. They nest together 

 indiscriminately, a Briinnich's nesting between a Common on 

 the one side and a Ringed on the other. Both sexes appear 

 to incubate, and spend much time near the egg. 



The Leach's Petrel also breeds somewhat commonly on the 

 rock, burrowing in the soft earth under the out-croppings of 

 sandstone on the flat, table-hke top of the cliff. Under one 

 huge slab of stone, which was raised with great difficulty, we 

 found a Puffin and two Leach's Petrels living sociably together. 

 They were fully ten yards from the edge of the clifT, and the 

 Puffin was a quite unexpected find in such a location. 



When the morning had been spent in photographing and in 

 climbing to all the accessible places we could find, Prest brought 



