A VISIT TO LUNDY. 377 



ence, and have selected a place where only bold climbers could 

 reach their nests. Formerly, I am told, they built their nests in 

 places where any child could take their eggs without danger. 



The building of the lighthouse and the noise of the fog-horns 

 seem to have disturbed all the sea-fowl at the northern end of the 

 island, and their numbers are said to be far smaller than in 

 former years. Puffins, Guillemots, Razorbills, and Kittiwakes, 

 however, still breed on the island in enormous numbers. 



The Guillemots (Uria troile) have their colonies chiefly on 

 the northern half of the western face of Lundy, where, in com- 

 pany with Razorbills (Alca tor da), and Kittiwakes (Rissa tri- 

 dactyla), they may be seen standing in rows, or packed closely 

 together in bunches, wherever they can find a foothold on the 

 cliffs. I noticed in particular one tall rock which was flat at the 

 top, and on this the Guillemots were packed almost as closely as 

 they are on the famous "Pinnacles" at the Fames during the 

 breeding season. 



The chief colony of the Puffins (Fratercula arctica) is at the 

 northern end, where the birds burrow in the soft soil among a 

 debris of huge granite boulders scattered about in wild confusion. 

 The number of the birds must be enormous, as, when one ap- 

 proaches the colony, all the rocks and the sea beneath appear to 

 be covered with Puffins and Razorbills ; while hundreds more 

 are swinging round and round in a large circle, which extends 

 some distance over the water. I was much struck by the 

 remarkable tameness of the birds. As long as I kept fairly still 

 they appeared to have no fear at all, and in a few minutes I had 

 Puffins and Razorbills all round me, and some almost within 

 arm's length. One Razorbill perched on the very stone which I 

 had selected as a seat. 



The Kittiwake is by far the most numerous of the Gulls on 

 the island, and their chief quarters are on the north-west side in 

 company with the Guillemots, and in two clefts at the north end. 

 Their nests appear to be stuck against the faces of the cliffs, 

 and on some of the most precipitous rocks it seems wonderful 

 how the birds manage to get any hold at all. 



Besides the Kittiwake, three species of Gulls breed on Lundy 

 — the Herring-Gull (Larus argentatus), and the Lesser and 

 Greater Black-backed Gulls (L.fuscus and L. marinus). There 



Zool. 4th ser. vol. IV., August, 1900. 2 d 



