With nature and a camera; being the adventures and observations of a field naturalist and an animal photographer . r breeding station, if they wereunable to discover their own offspring amongst thecrowd, running about like a flock of miniature^sheep, they rose again and flew away with thetit-bit they had brought in their Ijills. Curiouslyenouo-h, whilst sittin: at the end of St. Cuthbertslittle church, I could always see more birds flyingaway from tin* Tern-inhabited islands with food intheir bills than to them. The watchei-s told methat tlu^y had oftcMi l)een struck by the same strangefact, a
With nature and a camera; being the adventures and observations of a field naturalist and an animal photographer . r breeding station, if they wereunable to discover their own offspring amongst thecrowd, running about like a flock of miniature^sheep, they rose again and flew away with thetit-bit they had brought in their Ijills. Curiouslyenouo-h, whilst sittin: at the end of St. Cuthbertslittle church, I could always see more birds flyingaway from tin* Tern-inhabited islands with food intheir bills than to them. The watchei-s told methat tlu^y had oftcMi l)een struck by the same strangefact, and concluded that the Ijirds were flying awayto escape robbery by their neigh])()urs, an ever-clamorous ci-owd of which are continually hangingabout over the islands. JACKDAWS AS EGG-STEALERS. 257 Tlu defenceless clmracter of all the Ternsmakes their eg-gs and young easy prey for anyAvinged depredator that happens to come fly over from the mainland to harassthem, and sometimes even levy toll upon thenests of the Lesser Black Backs and Herring-Gulls, whose eggs they finish devouring- on the top. LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULLS. of St. Cuthberts Tower. This necessitates aperiodical inspection of the little bit of flat roofby the watchers, who have to depend upon it forthe collection of their fresh water, and thereforecannot afford to have it fouled by offensive our attention would be called across thewater by a great clamour and commotion, and, turn-ing our field-glasses in the direction from whenceit came, we could see a vast congregation of Ternshovering close over some particular part of their K 258 WITH NATURE ANT) A CAMERA. breeding station in a wild, shrieking- mass. Pre-sently a Lesser Black-backed Gull would rise andtake his departure, followed by a host of angrybut quite helpless Terns. Peregrine Falcons occa-sionally pay the Fame Islands a visit, and flyaway with whatever they desire witliout let orhindrance. The mortality amongst sea-birds of all
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