THE GANNET 339 



lightly or so gracefully as the Gannet, and their actions in the 

 air are ever full of interest. I often seat myself on the ledges 

 midway down the cliffs, where, undisturbed, I can watch the 

 flight of this charming bird. Inspection is easy, too, for the 

 birds fly quite close, and you may observe their every move- 

 ment. With wings expanded to their utmost limit, some five 

 or six feet across, tail spread to its full extent, the centre 

 feathers very elongated, and the legs pressed closely to the 

 body, the large feet tucked away amongst the feathers of the 

 vent, the Gannet floats about seemingly without exertion — 

 and, what is also remarkable, it rarely utters a sound of any 

 description on the wing ; silently it passes through the air, 

 a matchless example of ease and gracefulness. 



Now a word on the dangers attending the exploration of 

 the cliffs at the Bass. In the first place, the birds themselves 

 must be guarded against ; for they not unfrequently endeavour 

 to strike at the eye of him who invades their almost in- 

 accessible haunt. Then as the birds leave the ledges above, 

 they are apt to strike the climber full in the face, when, if he 

 be not prepared, he is likely to lose his precarious foothold. 

 Again, the rocks should only be explored in dry weather and 

 barefoot ; for after rain they are exceedingly slippery, owing 

 to the slime and filth which pervades the vicinity of the nests. 

 The chief danger arises, however, from the pieces of rock 

 which may fall from above — either knocked away by the rope, 

 or pulled on to the unwary climber as he incautiously trusts 

 himself for support upon them. I have had many narrow 

 escapes from these falling rocks during my excursions over 

 these and other bird cliffs. I allude to them by way of 

 caution to him who would explore these places in quest of 

 ornithological information. 



The Bass Eock is estimated to contain ten thousand pairs 

 of breedinsr Gannets, in addition to which there are the 

 immature birds in various stages of speckled plumage. The 



