GADWALL AND GANNET 45 



Eggs. — Five to Seven, or more. Creamy-white or pale buff. 



Food. — Water insects, spawn and fry of fish, seeds, and plants. 



Voice. — A repeated " quack, quack." 



Chief Features. — Our rarest Fresh-water Duck, something like the 

 better-known Wild Duck, but neither so large nor handsome. 

 Largely nocturnal in habits. A splendid bird upon the wing, 

 and an expert diver. 



Plumage. — Has a lead-coloured beak; light-brown head and upper 

 neck mottled with darker shades; light grey on a dark ground 

 is present on the back; median wing-coverts chestnut; greater 

 coverts blackish; brown on primaries; black and brown 

 secondaries, a white speculum being formed in the outer webs ; 

 bluish-black rump and upper tail-coverts; dark-brown tail 

 feathers edged with paler tints; lower neck dark grey, each 

 feather with a pale-grey margin ; white breast and belly ; grey 

 flanks and vent; under tail-coverts bluish-black; orange legs 

 and feet. Female, light-brown head and upper neck, mottled 

 with darker shades; lower hind neck and upper parts brown; 

 white on speculum and underneath. Length. — Twenty-one inches. 



GANNET (Sulci bassana) 



Local Names. — Channel Goose, Gan or Gant, Solan Goose. 



Haunt. — Rocky parts of the coast. 



Nesting Period. — May and June. 



Site of Nest. — Ledges of precipitous rocks. 



Materials Used. — Seaweed, grass, straw, etc. An untidy nest. 



Eggs. — One. White, but often becomes stained; chalky. 



Food. — Fish, especially sprats, pilchards, mackerel, and herrings. 



Voice. — A harsh cry, which is something like " carra, carra, carra." 



Chief Features. — A magnificent bird upon the wing; mounts high 

 in the air before taking a headlong and superb dive into the 

 sea beneath. Eyes must be of great microscopic power. Has 

 a dagger-like beak. Dark stripe near eye very characteristic. 

 The Bass Rock is a notable nesting station, 10,000 pairs of birds 

 being said to breed there each season. 



Plumage. — The adult has a buff-coloured head and neck, and the 

 remainder of the plumage white, with the exception of the 

 primaries, which are black. In the young the first year's dress 

 consists of blackish-brown upper parts flecked with white; 

 dusky-ash and buff underneath. With the sixth year the dark 

 markings disappear, and the dress of the adult bird is put on. 

 Length. — Thirty-four inches. 



