COMMON GANNET. 415 



Dunvegan Loch, in the Isle of Skye, about ninety miles from 

 St. Kilda, to which I have no doubt they all retire at night. 

 In fact, long strings of Gannets may be seen on the approach 

 of evening winging their way westward. This bird is appa- 

 rently very select in the choice of its breeding-places, Avhich 

 it occupies to the exclusion of every other species. None are 

 to be found in Hirta, but the island of Borreray is almost 

 exclusively occupied with them, as are also the adjacent 

 rocks Stack Ly and Stack Narmin. The two latter, remark- 

 able for their pointed summits and great height, along with 

 portions of Borreray, appear even from the distance of many 

 miles as if covered with snow, this deceptive appearance being 

 caused by the myriads of Gannets with which the rock is 

 thickly covered, as well as the clouds of these birds passing 

 and repassing in the neighbourhood of their nests. The 

 young birds are fledged in August if the produce of the first 

 laying, but not till September if the first egg has been taken 

 aw'ay, as it always is in spots of easy access. The ascent of 

 Stack Ly, a rock which seems absolutely inaccessible, is con- 

 sidered the greatest of all the dangers to which a St. Kildian 

 can expose himself. Only a single man can land at a time, 

 and that only in fine weather. Even then there is great 

 danger in a near approach, on account of the heavy swell, 

 which many years ago drove upon the rock the only boat 

 belonging to the island, when all on board, with one excep- 

 tion, perished. A second boat had previously been lost on 

 the same place, but the crew were so fortunate as to efiect a 

 landing, and were taken off the island a few days after by a 

 boat from Harris, sent to collect the rent. The man who 

 lands first, after scrambling to the top, lowers a rope, by 

 which the rest easily ascend, and commence plundering the 

 nests, throwing down into the sea, to be afterwards picked 

 up, the bodies of the young birds, and such of the old ones as 

 they can secure. The old birds, however, are generally 

 caught in gins, or killed under night when asleep. Great 

 caution is required to prevent any of the Gannets from giving 

 the alarm, in which case the courage and ingenuity of the 

 fowler will be exerted in vain. 



Great numbers of Gannets are taken not only in St. 



