GRAND ROMAINE AND OLD ROMAINE 



The eggs, generally three in number, are splen- 

 did great brown-speckled things. The gray 

 and spotted downy chicks soon leave the nest, 

 and, spreading out flat and motionless, are 

 difficult to see on the granitic lichen-covered 

 rocks, with which they harmonize in a won- 

 derful manner. When they are as large as 

 fair-sized domestic fowls, they are considered 

 great delicacies by the people, and the tender 

 flesh is much sought. They take to the water 

 before they can fly, and are skillful swimmers 

 even at a very early age. 



In walking alone over the bogs and hills 

 even some miles inland I have often been 

 startled by the very human quality of the calls 

 of this bird, which vary from a harsh scream, 

 or loud cow cow, to low conversational notes. 

 Car-cas-sonne and au-par-a-vant are the most 

 easily syllabized of their calls, and I have often 

 fancied I heard them cry out help help in the 

 most stilted manner of speech ever used by 

 Irving. This appeal would sometimes be fol- 

 lowed by the word ma-ma. Notwithstanding 

 its highwayman traits I am fond of the great 

 black-backed gull. 



It might be well to relate here a sequel to 

 99 



