26 
IN THE NORTH. 
masses as tlie Bass Rock, off the estuary of the Forth, and Ailsa Crag, 
off the mouth of the Clyde ; or the chalk cliffs of Kent, Sussex, and 
the Isle of Wight ; or the bold sea-wall of Yorkshire ; — these are the 
places where gull, and kittiwake, and guillemot, or solan goose, love to 
congregate. But they are found in still gi'eater numbers further north, 
and beyond the imaginary limit of the Arctic Circle. Dr. Kane 
speaks of the cliffs at Providence Halt as being white with wings ; 
while Dr. Hayes describes a hill-side near "Brother John's Glacier" 
as inhabited by myriads. The length of the declivity where they 
"the places wherk gull and kittiwake love to conokeoate." 
made their nests was about a mile ; and some idea of their numbei'S 
may be inferred from the fact that they swept across it in a continuous 
stream. They would traverse the whole extent in their rapid flight ; 
then return, but higher in the air; and this circuit they would perform 
repeatedly. Occasionally, as if in obedience to some magic signal, 
a few hundreds or thousands would drop down ; and, in an instant, the 
rocks for the space of several rods would swarm all over with them, 
until the surface was no loncrer visible beneath the mosaic of their 
o 
black backs and pure white breasts. 
