The New Forest and the Isle of WightWith eight plates and many other illustrations . rds to the sea, first singly, then in flocks, andcollect in little groups upon the water, though this mav soon be coveredwith the birds without any apparent diminution in the upper ranks uponthe cliff, where, safe from all danger and almost out of hearing of thewaves, they sit and gaze at the intruders below. On the water the razor-bills and puffins are so tame that they will letthe boat run within a dozen yards of them. Then the whole flockdisappear without sound and almost without moving the surface of thewa
The New Forest and the Isle of WightWith eight plates and many other illustrations . rds to the sea, first singly, then in flocks, andcollect in little groups upon the water, though this mav soon be coveredwith the birds without any apparent diminution in the upper ranks uponthe cliff, where, safe from all danger and almost out of hearing of thewaves, they sit and gaze at the intruders below. On the water the razor-bills and puffins are so tame that they will letthe boat run within a dozen yards of them. Then the whole flockdisappear without sound and almost without moving the surface of thewater, and presently emerge like corks at a little distance. The razor-bills swim with their beaks tilted upwards and their tails low in thewater, which gives them a saucy independent air, quite unlike that ofany other bird. The puffins seem all head and beak, and when they risefrom the water to fly look like tin birds worked by machinerv. Theirwide bills, of the brightest red, blue, and yellow, hard plumage, andnarrow wings are balanced by their red legs and feet, which they stick. ^ bs THE ISLE OF IVIGHT 19 out at the widest possible angle from the line of their bodies as soon asthey leave the water. We had scarcely finished our interview with these interesting membersof Neptunes poultry yard when a cloud of gulls flew out of the cliff,puffins and guillemots rushed past in hundreds, and the whole colony werethrown into sudden agitation, very different from the complacency withwhich they had viewed our approach in the boat. The cause was soon
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Keywords: ., bookauthorcornishc, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookyear1903
