Penobscot Bay, Maine.
1896 
July 9 
(No 3)
  Brimstone Ledge. A bare, rocky island of more than 1/2 an acre rising about 
20 feet above high water the summit for the most part devoid 
of vegetation but beach peas & a few other maritime plants 
growing in a few places. There are no well marked gulches but 
in all other respects [delete]the character[/delete] the island is closely 
similar in character to Black Ledge the rocks being of the 
same kind and similarly cleft & broken into huge blocks & 
slabs which are piled one upon another with narrow passages & 
low chambers between or under them. In the crevices the 
Guillemots lay their eggs often where they cannot and reached and 
frequently, no doubt, where it is impossible to even see them. 
As we approached the island only one bird was in sight floating 
on the water but while we were casting anchor & soon after 
we landed no less than ten flew from near the summit 
of the ledge & in such a manner as to satisfy us that they 
all came directly from their nests. But although we spent 
an hour or more searching carefully among the confusion of
rocks we found only two nests both of which were discovered
by Watrons. One I have already described. The other was 
similarly placed but the old bird was absolutely beyond 
our reach nor could we dislodge her although we poked her 
with a stick & pushed her about until we made sure that 
she had no eggs under her (the first bird clung closely to her 
eggs until forcibly taken off them). Watrous thinks he saw 
two young birds close to the mother whom he first looked into the crevice.
  We heard young calling in several places directly beneath our 
feet and no doubt most of the eggs on the island had 
hatched which would partly account for our finding 
only the one set.
  These Guillimots must rear nearly all their young successfully