Modern Cliff-Dwellers 



paddled around close to the stern of the sloop in the 

 characteristic attitude of this class of birds, breast 

 well down in the water and rump considerably 

 elevated, I thought of them as miniatures of the 

 ancient ships that Virgil wrote about, with their 

 " lofty sterns." I used this opportunity to try to 

 discover some of the "Common" Murres among 

 this horde of Brunnich's, but did not see a single 

 specimen that I could recognize as such. This 

 seems to be the universal experience of observers, 

 and now, despite the older accounts, it is questioned 

 whether the " Common " Murre is ever found as 

 far south as Massachusetts. 



One special treat was in store for me. While I 

 was fishing, happening to glance " to the nor'ard," 

 I saw a very small bird skimming like a bullet low 

 over the sea, making directly for the boat. It 

 passed close by on tiny, quick-beating wings, and, 

 giving me only this brief, precious glimpse, speedily 

 disappeared to the southward. It was no less dis- 

 tinguished a personage than the Dovekie, or Little 

 Auk, the only one that in all my winter ocean 

 wanderings I have ever seen alive. 



Next day, celebrating the New Year, I was 

 wandering along the grim, icy beach along the 

 " back side of the Cape," watching the birds and 

 the breakers. The bedraggled carcass of a Razor- 

 bill brought to mind the thought of the terrible 

 winter storms that destroy these poor creatures by 

 the thousands. It is well known that they are 

 sometimes blown inland, to perish in the snowdrifts. 

 One of my early recollections is of a Puffin being 

 found in Jamaica Pond, Boston, after such a storm. 



95 



