SUMMER IN LLEYN. 105 



June 4th), and, as usual at that time of the year, was much 



troubled with windy weather. Going out to St. Tudwal's 



Islands the evening I arrived, with the wind strong and gusty 



from the west, we found the sea so rough, especially under the 



larger island, that I really thought we should have been swamped, 



and we at one time thought we should not be able to get back 



that night ; when we did, I had literally " not a dry rag on me." 



This is the worst of the Lleyn coast in May, when every day is 



precious to the bird-man. I suppose the examination of a clutch 



of sis eggs (the only one I have heard of) of the Bock Pipit 



repaid me for a very unpleasant time. The nest was on a ledge 



of rock sheltered by grass and other plants. It was made of 



dead grass, and lined with finer grass and a little hair. The 



eggs were of the dark type. I may here mention that, shortly 



before, a clutch of (four) the beautiful pink variety of these eggs 



had been taken in Lleyn (17th), and sent to me. This variety 



is very rare. The wind was so bad when we were on the upper 



part of the island that we could not investigate very fully. A 



Herring-Gull's nest contained two very pale stone-coloured eggs 



with small well-defined spots. Peregrines had often been about 



the islands lately, and I saw one of the birds the next day on 



Penrhyn du. The Herring- Gulls on the cliffs about Pistyll Cim 



had nearly all got three eggs. The day after I arrived at Aber- 



daron, despite the surf which was plainly visible round the base 



of the islands, I tried to reach Ynys Gwylan fawr and fach, but 



the swell was too much for us. We landed one youth, who was 



particularly active, on the big island. A few Eazorbills were 



breeding about a low overhung shelf, almost a shallow cave, and 



very difficult to get at. Three-quarters of the way up is a huge 



nearly horizontal crack or fissure in the black rock forming the 



back of the cave ; inside this the birds were breeding. The 



youth, after creeping up the face of the rock like an expanded 



spider, crawled into the crack and brought out two eggs, reporting 



others so far in he could not reach them. We got him on board 



with difficulty ; and found it impossible to land anyone on the 



small island. Two days after the wind was off shore at last, and 



taking four men in case the wind got up (which it duly did), I 



visited both islands. As I climbed to the top of the bigger one 



I saw a pair of Carrion-Crows rise and fly out with the crowd of 



