88 
AI,LEN’s naturalist’s LII3RARY. 
tion was fully proved, ‘ they drown the thunder of the surf 
when they cry.’ At length the cloud sank down upon the sea, 
the hitheito dim outlines of Swiirtholni hccaine distinct again 
and a new spectacle enchained our gaze. On the precijiices 
there seemed to sit quite as many birds as before, and thousands 
were still dying up and down. A second shot scared new 
flocks, a second time it snowed birds down upon the sea. and 
still the hillsides were covered with hundreds of thousands. 
But on the sea, as far as the eye could reach, lay Gulls like 
light foam-balls rocking up and down with the waves. How 
shall I describe the magnificent spectacle? .Shail I say that the 
sea had voven millions and millions of liright pearls into her 
daik wave-robe r Or shall I compare the Gulls to stars, and the 
ocean to the dome of heaven ? 1 know not ; but I know that I 
have seen nothing more gorgeous even on the sea. And as if 
the charm were not already great enough, the midnight sun, 
erewhile clouded over, suddenly shed its rosy light over 
promontoiy, and sea, and birds, lighting up every wave-crest as 
if a golden, wide meshed net had been thrown over the water, 
.and making the rose-tinted dazzling Gulls appear more brilliant 
than before. We stood speechless at the sight ! ” 
Nest. — Seebohm says that the nest of the Kittiwake is better 
made than is usual with the Gulls. In some districts the 
foundation is made of turf, with the soil adhering, which the 
salt spray and the wet feet of the birds soon turn into a kind 
of mortar. _ This foundation is finished off into a nest made of 
seaweed, pieces of marine vegetation, and finally lined with 
dry grass and sometimes a few feathers. The nests are 
generally placed upon ledges on cliffs, but in Alaska they were 
found on small islands by Mr. Dail, the birds making a simple 
depression m the sand. 
Eggs.— -1 WO or three in number, very rarely four, according 
to .Seebohm, who ob,serves that the eggs of the Kittiwake are 
not easily compared with tho.se of any other British Gull. Mr 
Robert Read writes to me “ d'he eggs of the Kittiwake varv 
as much as those of the Black-neaded Gull, and they are found 
from almost pure white to deep purplish-brown, with still darker 
markings. 1 hey are, however, never so glossy as the eggs of 
the Gulls, resembling more the eggs of the Puffin in texture.” 
