THE BASS ROCK 175 



geese, in the spring of every year return from the south to 

 the rock of the Bass in flocks, and for two or three days, 

 during which the dwellers on the Rock are careful to make 

 no disturbing noise, the birds fly round the rock. They then 

 begin to build their nests, stay there throughout the summer, 

 living upon fish, while the inhabitants of the Rock eat the 

 fish that are caught by them, for the men climb to the nests 

 of the birds, and there get fish to their desire. Marvellous 

 is the skill of this bird in the catching of fish. At the bottom 

 of the sea with lynx-like eye he spies the fish, precipitates 

 himself upon it, as the hawk upon the heron, and then with 

 beak and claw drags it to the surface ; and, if at some 

 distance from the Rock he sees another fish better than the 

 first that has caught his eye, he lets the first escape until he 

 has made sure of the one that was last seen ; and thus on 

 the Rock throughout the summer the freshest fish are always 

 to be had. The ducklings, or goslings, are sold in the 

 neighbouring country. If you will eat of them twice or 

 thrice you will find them very savoury ; for these birds are 

 extremely fat, and the fat skilfully extracted is very service- 

 able in the preparation of drugs ; and the lean part of the 

 flesh they sell. In the end of autumn the birds fly round 

 about the Rock for the space of three days, and afterward, as 

 in flocks, they take flight to southern parts for the whole 

 winter, that there they may live, as it were, in summer ; 



