206 
COMMUNISTIC PRACTICES. 
became possessed with a similar anxiety. What a turmoil then arose, 
what a clang ! They displayed a curiously violent irritation ; with 
bristling feathers menacing one another, screaming at one another, 
tearing out each other's snow-white plumes, and pecking at each 
other's eyes. Thousands and thousands were screaming, pecking, 
fluttering simultaneously. The cause of the dispute was after a while 
discovered. Some of them, without a conscience, had shamelessly 
seized oa their neighbour's egg ! 
Sometimes the mother is forced to abandon her rocky post and 
her maternal task ; she cannot die of hunger while waiting for her 
ofi'spring to emerge into the light of day. It may be that, in taking 
flight, she carelessly topples down the egg; or her mates, while 
quarrelling, have accidentally pushed it over the brink of the cliff. 
On her return it is nowhere visible. As an honest bird, she should 
be content with her lot; but lummes are as disregardful of the 
i-ights of property as our " criminal classes ; " and the bereaved mother 
hastens to appropriate the fii'st egg she can get at. The original pro- 
prietor returning, discovers the felony ; she too seeks some unguarded 
treasure ; and if she find none, attacks anybody or everybody in 
her rage, and provokes a general melee. The precious deposit, how- 
ever, is not always left without a guardian ; and the male sometimes 
acts as a substitute while his spouse attends to the cravings of nature. 
She is careful, however, to return with the briefest possible delay to 
her phlegmatic partner, who celebrates his release from an unwelcome 
duty by clapping his wings and uttering a loud cry of pleasure. 
Guillemots are found both in the Northern and Southern regions, 
always migrating in the winter to the Temperate Zone. Their 
habitat, as in the case of most ocean-birds, is the wild, bleak, wind- 
worn cliff, overhanging restless waters. There they breed, and con- 
gregate at their seasons of repose ; but a great portion of their time 
is spent on the ocean, in noisy sport, or in pursuit of fish. Myriads 
frequent tlie rocky sea-wall which stretches from Flamborough Head 
to Filey Bay. On its bare ledges the guillemots lay their eggs without 
the shelter of any nest ; in its deep dark crevasses the razorbills and 
puffins breed ; the peregrine falcon and tlie raven rear their young 
