490 
BIRD-LIFE. 
by the third mode lie lets himself down by a rope over 
the rock from above. We have to thank the naturalist, 
Graba, for a description of this kind of fowling on the 
Faeroe Islands, from which I have taken the following. 
“ Almost all the sea birds on these islands are used as 
food, the only exceptions being Gulls, Skuas, and Cor¬ 
morants. All others, especially Guillemots, Razorbills, 
and Puffins, are eaten, both when fresh and when salted 
and dried. In May the inhabitants of many islands live 
exclusively on the eggs of sea-fowl: want alone can 
induce them to relish such food, or to procure it at so 
great a risk. 
“When climbing the rocks from below the fowler uses 
a round pole, from ten to twelve feet in length, and an 
inch and a half thick, to the end of which a bent horn is 
attached; at either end of the horn are two holes, through 
which are run two bent sticks, four feet in length, which 
are connected by straps and thongs. To this machine a 
wide-meshed net is attached, with which the sitting bird 
is covered; so little do they fear man, that they are at 
any time entangled without difficulty. The captives are 
speedily put an end to ; with one twist of the wrist their 
necks are wrung. After the lower ledges have been 
cleared of their occupants, the ascent of the rock com¬ 
mences. Two fowlers go together on this dangerous 
journey, while the others remain below in the boat, and 
collect the dead birds which are thrown down to them. 
The climbers are attached to one another by a rope, from 
twenty to sixty feet long, which they make fast round the 
body, and start armed with the pole-net. The first 
steps out of the boat on to the rock, the second assist¬ 
ing him by means of a small board, which is made 
fast to the other end of the pole, and which is used as 
