THE BASS ROCK 171 



Fordun, a priest of Aberdeen. The passage in question, which 

 has been already brought to the notice of ornithologists by 

 Professor Cunningham,* is from the Cupar Codex, now in the 

 Advocates' Library, and is a note alluding to three islands 

 in the Firth of Forth, viz., the Bass, Fotherayt and May, 

 and runs thus : " Hae fusius traduntur in codice Cuprensi, 

 lib. I. cap. 29, his verbis : ' Insula de Bass, ubi solendse 

 nidificant in magna copia : cujus protector exstat Sanctus 

 Baldredus,t SanctiKentigerniolimsuffraganus ; . . .' " This 

 passage is not in the text of " The Scotichronicon," but in 

 a footnote. § The late Dr. W. F. Skene considered that the 

 Cupar Codex was written about 1447, by Walter Bower, 

 abbot of a monastery on Inchcolm, who is known to have 

 been the continuator of Fordun's famous work; 1447, there- 

 fore, must be taken as the approximate date of the record, 



2. The next mention of Bass Gannets arises from 

 threatened litigation in a disputed ownership. This is to 

 be found in a Commission from Pope Alexander VI. to 

 investigate a claim, bearing date May 10th, 1493, The 



* " Ibis," 186G, p. 1. 



t By Fotheray, Mr. William Evans thinks the little island of Fidra was 

 intended, but I did not see any remains of a monastery when visiting it. 



X What are called the ruins of St. Baldred's chapel probably mark the 

 spot where the hermit's cell stood in 60G. 



§ But the footnote is not to be met with in all editions ; it is here 

 quoted from Godall's edition, 1759. Liber I,, cap. VI., note. 



II See "Historians of Scotland" (Edinburgh), 1871, L, p. xi., preface. 



