xxxiv. THE GANNET 



that individual Gannets had been recognised at the Bass 

 for forty years (" British Ornithology," II., p. 458), a state- 

 ment which in passing I may remark is misquoted by Morris 

 in his " British Birds " (VI., p. 81), and by Dr. Richardson, 

 copying from liim, in the " Guide to North Berwick." 

 Selby also says that Patrick Neill, the botanist, kept a 

 Gannet for many years in confinement at Edinburgh. 



Altogether a hundred and sixty five examples are given 

 in Dr. Mitchell's paper to illustrate the average length of 

 life of the Steganopodes in captivity, and Dr. Mitchell 

 feels himself justified in concluding that they are a group 

 possessed of great longevity and viability, especially the 

 PeHcans. In another place he also says, " there seems 

 no constitutional reason to assign a low viability to Gannets 

 and Cormorants " {t.c, p. 536), and such evidence as we 

 have fully justifies this supposition. 



Following in the steps of Weismann, Dr. Mitchell first 

 discusses the question whether there is, or is not, any 

 correlation between longevity and the size of animals. 

 Here, if there was any, the Gannet would have an advantage 

 but Dr. Mitchell is forced to conclude that among Birds, 

 at any rate, this is a theory only at present, and one 

 which must not be pressed too far until we know more 

 about it. Weismann, however, believed in some relation 

 of the kind. Duration of life is dependant upon adap- 

 tation to external conditions. That is the way in which 

 Weismann puts it, and its length whether longer or shorter 

 is governed by the needs of the species, and this sums 

 up the matter as far as our knowledge at present takes 

 us. It may not be to the advantage of the Gannet, as a 



