HISTORICAL PREFACE xxv. 



Frederick Marten's " Spitzbergen " (1675, p. 97). He 

 then goes on to say that the Gannet is found " Insula 

 Scotise Basse," and quotes a part of Harvey's description, 

 which I have given (p. 198). 



The first naturahst to endow the Gannet with a 

 generic name — Sulci — was Mathurin Brisson, who, in 

 Newton's " Dictionary of Birds " (c/. Introduction, p. 9), is 

 highly praised for the work he did. Scrupulously exact 

 in differentiating species, whether in French or Latin, he 

 at once saw the radical differences between the Gannet 

 and the Pelican. The fruits of all his industry was 

 an " Ornithologia," produced in 1760, the Latin portion 

 of which was reprinted in 1763, and here we find the 

 Gannet concisely described as " Snla Candida ; remigihus 

 primaribus fuscis ; retricibus candidis . . . Sida Bassana," 

 after the island with which it was generally associated. 



Commencing Avith Brisson the scientific synonymy of the 

 Gannet is set forth in the present Avork on page 17, but it is 

 to be found given in greater detail in the 26th volume of the 

 " Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum " (1898) by 

 Mr. Ogilvie-Grant, where also a great number of valuable 

 references are added which it would occupy too much 

 space to repeat here. 



The vernacular names of this bird are less important, 

 but they are given in different languages, mostly expressive 

 of the Gannet's habits, e.g. Harenguier (French)=Herring- 

 fisher, and Mascato (Portuguese) = Plunger ; they will 

 be found enumerated on p. 18. There is also another 

 list of them in Dresser's " Birds of Europe " (Vol. VI., 

 p. 181). There is one vernacular appellation wliich has 



