Almanac Companion.

The Island of Noss.

t Noss, a majestic ocean precipice rises up, 600 feet above the sea, the vast nesting-place of innumerable auks and kitti-wake gulls.

Whether ap-proached from the land or the sea, the scene that suddenly bursts upon the sight is truly marvellous, and we fear inde-scribable. The rocky cliff, along its whole extent, is covered with birds, packed to-gether in long parallel rows, like books in a well-stored li-brary. The no-velty of the sight must strike with astonishment all who for the first time behold it. It is difficult to say whether the view from below or above is the more wonderful. Seen from a boat, a wall of birds seems to rise from sea to sky, all built up in regular courses of soft-eyed gentle gulls and stiff stuck-up auks, with fringes of fretted rock-work between; and when a shot is fired there is a rush of wings, and a living cloud in the air, as if bees were swarming from an unmeasured hive. And yet, in spite of the multitudes that take wing, the eye can detect no diminution in the myriads that remain upon the rock. But after each flight a heavy dropping sound is heard on the water all along the base of the cliff, plash, plash, like the first drops of some terrible hail-shower. It is caused by the numbers of eggs which the auks have rolled over in their sudden rise. The guillemot makes no nest, but lays its one large egg upon the bare ledge, and its pear-shaped form alone prevents its being constantly overturned. Looking down from the summit of Noss, the element of terror is added to the wonder of the scene; and the mingled screams of the birds rise up for ever in one great chorus, which seems to swell, and fall, and change as if in sympathy to some unknown tune. Till recently an eagle regularly built upon this rock; but some years ago a labourer from Bressay effected the robbery of its eyrie, bearing off as a prize its two eggs, which are still to be seen in the possession of the gentleman to whom he gave them.

The Cradle of Noss.

The cradle of Noss, which is now removed, was simply a square box suspended upon two parallel ropes stretched across the gap between the island and the holm, into which the traveller took his seat, and either pulled himself across, or was drawn along by his associates.?