Gannets 27 



taking an egg here and there, and, tinalh', it being then about five 

 o'clock, we packed up our spoils, and signalled for the boat to return 

 to the landing place. 



The voyage home was very long and uneventful, but the heat 

 of the day having passed, we did not suffer as much discomfort as 

 on the voyage out. We found \ery little bird life, most of the sea- 

 fowl ha\ing returned to their homes by this time. Towards eight 

 o'clock, as it was growing dark, however, we fell in with a number of 

 birds just setting out on their fishing. These were the Manx Shear- 

 waters, of which there is a colony on Skomer, and which are nocturnal 

 in their habits, sleeping in their burrows by day, and starting out on 

 their labours as dusk begins to gather. They have a curiously 

 silent flight, gliding past one in the gathering gloom like ghosts 

 indeed. I know no bird, except perhaps some of the owls, whose 

 flight is so absolutely noiseless. The effect is curiously uncanny ; 

 they appear suddenly out of the darkness, and disappear again like 

 spirits of another world. 



We reached our harbour about 10.30 ]).m., tired out, but 

 thoroughly pleased with our day's outing. 



The Gannet is essentially a bird of the ocean, and, except during 

 the breeding months (roughly April ist to September ist) never sets 

 foot on land. I have already pointed out that the Gannet does not 

 acquire his fully adult plumage till the sixth year,* and, I think, 

 the majoritv of the immature birds of from one to Ave years old, 

 make their home entirely on the sea, though some small percentage 

 accompany the adult birds to their breeding grounds, and remain 

 in the neighbourhood during the nesting time. Gannets, however, 

 do not confine their fishing operations to the open sea far away from 

 land. They may frequently be seen in the autumn fishing in flocks 

 at the mouth of estuaries, and such-like places, where there is a 

 strong tide and plenty of fish. One then finds them fishing just 

 outside the tidal bar, adult white birds, black and white birds in 

 various stages of immaturity, and the dark speckled birds of the year. 



Blakeney Harbour, on the Norfolk coast, is a favourite resort 

 of theirs in September and October ; at that season in most years 

 they can be seen in considerable numbers. 



Of all the sea-fowl there are none so interesting to watch as a 

 flock of Gannets fishing. Flying at first some 20 feet from the 

 surface of the water, they quarter the ground backwards and forwards 

 like a setter ranging for grouse, until they find a shoal of fish ; 

 mackerel, herrings, pilchards and sprats are their favourite prey, 

 but no surface-swimming fish comes amiss. Having found the 

 shoal, the Gannets rise high in the air one after the other, until they 

 reach the height of 60-70 feet or more. Then, watching the actions 

 of a single bird, you see him turn his head downwards, so that his 

 eyes are presumably directed at his quarry, poising motionless with 

 outstretched wings for a moment to steady himself, then suddenly 



* V. Footnote on p. jj. — Editor. 



