128 T. H. NELSON: A RAMBLE ON THE FARNE ISLANDS. 



shade of light green. I wished to purchase it, but the keeper refused 

 to sell, even at a high price, although I managed to secure an almost 

 pure white egg of the Guillemot. We had noticed two or three 

 Ringed Dotterel (CEgialitis hiaticuld) near the water's edge, and on 

 asking if he had any eggs, the keeper took one from a small box. 

 He evidently prized it very highly, but I was scarcely prepared to 

 pay the price he demanded — half-a-crown ! 



Three Turnstones {Strepsilas interpres) were sitting on the edge 

 of the island facing the Staples, as we walked down to the boat, 

 but I hardly think they would be nesting there, although Mr. J. E. 

 Harting once showed me an egg, almost undisputably that of a 

 Turnstone, which had been taken on the Fames. 



Our visit being now at an end we re-embarked and set sail for 

 North Sunderland, where we arrived with our treasures after half-an- 

 hour's pleasant sail. 



It may be as well to remind intending visitors that it is necessary 

 to obtain permission to land on the islands, and I believe the rules of 

 the association are very strict and rigidly enforced. 



For the purposes of easy reference I will append a list of the birds 

 found breeding there at the time of our visit. These comprised : — 



Sandwich Tern {Sterna cantiaca). Kittiwake [Rissa tridactyla). 



Arctic Tern {Stei-na viacria-a). Eider Duck [Soniaferia mollissima). 



Common Tern {Sterna jinviatilis) Oystercatcher {HcEmatoptis ostra- 



(probably). legus). 



Guillemot [Lo?nvia troile). Ringed Dotterel {QLgialitis hiati- 



Razor-Bill {Aha tarda). citla). 



Puffin {Fratercula arctica). Common Cormorant {Phalacro- 



Lesser Blackbacked Gull {Larits corax carbo). 



fusciis). Green Cormorant {Phalacrocorax 



Herring Gull {Lams argentatus). gracidns) (very probably). 



There are also a few Rock Pipits' {Anthi/s obscurus) nests to be 

 found in the crevices of the rocks, and occasionally one or two pairs 

 of Shelducks {Tadorna cornuta) lay their eggs in the burrows on one 

 of the islands. 



A very fine series of Imperial size photographs of the Fames and 

 the birds breeding there, and also of the Chillingham Cattle, has 

 been taken by Mr. Wm. Green, of Berwick-on-Tweed, and 1 can 

 heartily recommend these to the notice of any persons desirous of 

 possessing faithful pictures of the islands. It would be difficult to 

 say which of the series is best, but the Guillemots on the Pmnacles, 

 Cormorants on the Megstone, Eider on the nest, Gull's nest, and 

 Sandwich and Arctic Terns' nests are excellent ; while the groups of 

 the Wild White Cattle are| a(|||B^ble reproductions of the animals, 

 and well worth seeing. 



