'60 BIRDS OF ONTAKIO. 



^lanan Island, at the mouth of the Bay of Fundy. Another lies 

 to the south-west of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. The great breeding 

 resorts of the species, however, are the Bird Rocks, in the Gulf of St. 

 Lawrence, and Bonaventure Island, near Gaspe. 



This bird takes its name {Sn/a bassana) from one of its first and 

 best known breeding places, the Bass Rock, in the Firth of Forth, 

 where I have seen them in thousands engaged in completing their 

 domestic arrangements in the early summer. They used to have 

 many breeding places round the rocky coasts of Scotland, but Mr. 

 Gray tells us that the number has now been reduced to five. These 

 are Ailsa Craig, St. KUda, North Barra, Stack of Suleskerry, and the 

 Bass Rock, Firth of Forth. The number of birds which frequent 

 these places is still very great. A moderate calculation of those seen 

 •on the Bass Rock Mr. Gray placed at 20,000, and I feel sure that 

 the number frequenting Ailsa Craig cannot be much less. Mr. Gray 

 further states, that on the more remote breeding places very little 

 ■change has taken place, but that on the Bass Rock, where in former 

 years a large colony had possession of the grassy slopes on which they 

 built their nests, the number of birds is greatly reduced. The intru- 

 sion of ^-isitors has driven the birds entirely to the rocky ledges on 

 the west side of the island, where the nests cannot be examined as 

 they used to be. Before this change took place in their breeding 

 i^rounds, the birds were greatly changed in their habits, the old birds 

 ha\'ing become dreadfully vociferous, and in some cases showing fight. 

 Professor Macgillivray well describes their cry in comparing the tor- 

 rent of sounds to the words, "Earra kirra, cree cree, grog, grog, grog." 

 Surrounded by a multitude of open bills, and noticing the guide 

 apparently absorbed in thought, he inquired, " Is there any risk of 

 them biting?" "Oh, no, sir," he rejoined, "I was only thinking how 

 like they are to oursel's." He stated also that these birds sometimes 

 lay two eggs, fourteen nests on the grassy slope already referred to 

 having been found to contain that number. This statement may be 

 easily believed, when we are told that duiing the breeding season the 

 rock is visited daily by excursionists accompanied by guides, and that 

 the number of eggs in a nest is made to suit the wishes of the visitor. 



Notwithstanding the protection now afforded to this bird, in com- 

 mon with other water-fowl, the numbers have greatlv diminished, 

 and it is verj- doubtful if the Bass ever again has as many tenants as 

 it once had. 



Long ago the breeding places appear to have been more numerous 

 than at present, for we find frequent reference to them in the works 



