36 
FRESHWATER CLIFFS. 
the region of birds. Between tlie highest part and Sun 
Corner the cliff is more than perpendicular, it positively 
overhangs : here, then, is the retreat of innumerable 
sea-birds; here the foot of man has never trodden; here 
patent percussions were of no avail. The inmates were 
already on the move : guillemots and razor-bills, in parties 
of tens, twenties, and thirties, were continually dropping 
from their stations, and whirling on rapid wing towards the 
ocean; the great burgomasters, far, far above the summit, 
were wheeling round and round, like eagles, and utter- 
ing continually their sonorous and piercing call ; while in 
the distance the smaller herring-gulls were collecting by 
hundreds about the Needles. The fishermen now pulled 
us right in for the cliff ; and, as we approached, what a 
siglit did we witness ! Every inch of projecting rock was 
occupied : there were hundreds, thousands, millions of 
birds. I should premise, that throughout the surface of 
the cliff are excavated ledges, which are caused by layers 
of a softer substance intervening, that has crumbled, per- 
haps partly with frost, and partly with the operations of 
the tenants : these softer strata are perforated like honey- 
combs by the puffins. Along these ledges the bii'ds were 
crowded so thickly, as positively to push the foremost ones 
off by the pressure from behind, as fresh troops issued from 
their holes : these would fly a little way, and, returning, 
settle on the heads of others, and thus, by slipping in, find 
themselves a footing, the foremost birds being obliged to 
tumble off, as these intruders had previously done. Some 
ledges were occupied solely by puffins, whose conspicuous 
bills, and squat though upright position, rendered them 
instantly distinguishable. The little fellows turned their 
heads sharply on their shoulders, first on one side, then on 
