THE OOLOGIST. 



Vol. 4, No. 5-6. ALBION, N. Y., OC T.-DEC, 1 887. 



J Monthly. 

 I 2SC. Per Year. 



Gannet. 



Sula hassana Biiiss. 



* * * Twelve miles to the northwanl 

 of the Magdalen group, is a little islet 

 known as Bird Rock, while about half a 

 mile to the southwest, is a rather smaller 

 rock, called the Little Bird, aud a chain of 

 submerged reefs extend between the two. 

 As there is a strong current sweeping across 

 this hidden ledge at certain times, the place 

 is considered very dangerous by the rather 

 timid fisherman who sail from the neigh- 

 boring ports. One day in .June, 1873, I 

 stood on the northern end of Bryon Island 

 and gazed with longing eyes at a little 

 white spot, twelve miles away, which I 

 knew was a celebrated Bird Rock, but 

 owing to the disreputable name wdiicli 

 these rocks have justl}^ acquired among 

 fishermen, it was not until several days 

 later, that in company with two friends, I 

 found myself on board a little schooner, 

 bound for the spot whereon I had fixed my 

 desires. We started earlj^ in the morning 

 but it was three o'clock in the afternoon 

 before we reached the place, for the wind 

 was light. In spite of this, however, there 

 was quite a surf dashing up the clifts, 

 which so alarmed our timid captain that 

 he would not allow the schooner to go very 

 near, but anchored a quarter of a mile 

 away . 



The fog through wliicli we had hitherto 

 been sailing, scaled off at this moment, 

 disclosing to our gaze one of the grandest 

 sights that we ever beheld, for directly in 

 front of us, rose a huge, rocky bastion, the 

 precipitous sides of which were occupied 

 by myriads of Auks, Guillemots, and 

 Puffins, thousands of snowy plumagetl 

 Gannels floated in air over the high clifts, 



* * * From this aiticic, as well as the one on the 

 White Pelican^ we have omitied " O' servatims," 

 " Dimensions," and " Descriptions of Birds, Ne»ts 

 and Eggs," as given m the original. 



while the water below was thickly dotted 

 with various species. After this display, 

 we were exceedingly anxious to land, but 

 our skipper took his time, yet at last, we 

 stood on a sandy beach, at the foot of a per- 

 fectly perpendicular cliffs which rose a 

 hundred and fifty feet over our heads ; 

 thus we would have had the utmost dif- 

 ficulty in reaching the top, had it not been 

 for the kindness of the keepers of the light 

 that had been placed on the top of the 

 island some three years previous. They 

 having noticed our arrival, had lowered a 

 bucket which was suspended by a crane, 

 and we stepping into it, slowly ascended, 

 swinging back and forth as we went up- 

 ward, until we reached a narrow shelf,, 

 some thirty feet from the top, on which we 

 stepped, climbed a ladder, and found our- 

 selves on the top of Bird Rock, which 

 although only about an acre in area, fur- 

 nished ground enough to fully occupy my 

 attention for some time, as shortly after 

 our arrival the sea rose, and our not very 

 courageous captain, fearing for the safety 

 of his ship, weighed anchor, sailed away, 

 and left us on this lonely islet, where we 

 were obliged to remain ten days. 



Among the most noticeable birds on the 

 rock, were the Gannets, and they occupied 

 a considerable space on the northwest side 

 of the upper portion. ' Here the soil was 

 completely denuded of vegetation and the 

 bulky nests which were composed of sea- 

 weed, were placed in long rows, al)out a 

 foot apart, reminding one strongly of hills 

 of corn. This regularity was due to the 

 fact, that the Gannets are quarrelsome 

 birds and wiM not permit another to ap- 

 proach within striking distance when they 

 are sitting. Early in the morning, when 

 all the birds were on the nests, they pre- 

 sented a singular appearance, for there was 

 fully a quarter of an acre of Gannets. 

 They wei-e remarkably unsuspicious, allow- 



