GANNET 287 



in the Firth of Forth ; the Bull Rock, off Dursey 

 Head, Co. Cork ; the Fastnet Rock, Cape Clear ; 

 and the Skellig Islands, off the coast of Kerry. It 

 is stated to have nested also on the Stags of Broad- 

 haven, Co. Mayo {Zool, 1884, pp. 473-481). 



Mr. Ussher writes that the Gannets are more 

 plentiful on the Little Skellig than on the Bull 

 Rock ; but this may be open to doubt, seeing that 

 in the breeding season of 1899 there were estimated 

 to be from 500 to 700 nests {Irish Nat, 1899, p. 

 251). A great many of the birds were driven away 

 from the latter place by the blasting that was carried 

 on during the erection of the lighthouse. 



As to the building materials used by Gannets, 

 the assertion of Willughby (1678) that these birds 

 do not make their nests of sticks and straws, but 

 lay their eggs on the naked rocks, has been con- 

 troverted by Dr. Walker ("Essays on Nat. Hist.," 

 Edinburgh, 1808, p. 287) who states that they make 

 use of sticks, and his remarks have been confirmed 

 by later observers. On the Bass Rock the Gannets 

 build large nests of seaweed and dry grass, built up 

 as incubation proceeds. 



The late E. T. Booth of Brighton established 

 some Gannets on a private salt-water pool specially 

 prepared for the purpose, and having placed some 

 large boulders of rock therein, succeeded in getting 

 them to breed there and rear their young (Zool., 

 1890, p. 94). He afterwards restored both old and 

 young to liberty by placing them in a boat and 

 rowing them out to sea. 



