Page:The Works of William Harvey (part 1 of 2).djvu/308

 more transparent, and smoother on the surface; when laid, however, the shell is thicker, less transhicid, and the surface is rough it appears as if it were powdered over with a fine white dust which had but just adhered to it.

Let us, as we are upon this subject, expatiate a little : In the desert islands of the east coast of Scotland, such nights of almost every kind of sea-fowl congregate, that were I to state what I have heard from parties very worthy of credit, I fear I should be held guilty of telling greater stories than they who have committed themselves in regard to the Scottish geese produced, as they say, from the fruits of certain trees that had fallen into the sea. These geese the narrators themselves had never seen so produced ; but I will here relate that which I have myself witnessed.

There is a small island which the Scots call the Bass Island (and speaking of this one will suffice for all), situated in the open ocean, not far from the shore, of the most abrupt and pre- cipitous character, so that it rather resembles one huge rock or stone than an island, and indeed it is not more than a mile in circumference. The surface of this island in the months of May and June is almost completely covered with nests, eggs, and young birds, so that you can scarce find free footing anywhere; and then such is the density of the flight of the old birds above, that like a cloud they darken the sun and the sky; and such the screaming and din that you can scarce hear the voice of one who addresses you. If you turn your eyes below, and from your lofty stance and precipice regard the sea, there you perceive on all sides around an infinite variety of different kinds of sea-fowl swimming about in pursuit of their prey : the face of the ocean is very like that of a pool in the spring season, when it appears swarming with frogs; or to those sunny hills and clifly mountains looked at from below, that are covered with numerous flocks of sheep and goats. If you sail round the island and look up, you see on every ledge and shelf, and recess, in- numerable flocks of birds of almost every size and order; more numerous than the stars that appear in the unclouded moonless sky; and if you regard the flights that incessantly come and go you may imagine that it is a mighty swarm of bees you have be- fore you. I should scarcely be credited did I name the revenue which was annually derived from the feathers, the eggs, and the