180 THE GANNET 



the spring of the year, they gather so great number of trees* 

 and sticks to build their nests, that the same would be 

 sufRcient fuel to the keepers of the castle, if they had no other 

 provision ; and though the keepers take from these fowls 

 their sticks and pieces of wood, yet they take little indigna- 

 tion thereat, but bring hastily again as many from other 

 places where they fly. They nourish their young with most 

 delicate fish ; for though they have one fish in their mouth 

 above the seas, where they fly, yet if they see another better, 

 they let the first fall, and drop into the sea with a plunge, 

 and bring up hastily the fish that they last saw ; and 

 though this fish be taken from her by the keepers of the 

 castle, the Solan Goose takes little indignation, but files 

 immediately for another. The keepers of the aforesaid castle 

 take the young Geese from them with little impediment : 

 thus comes great profit yearly to the lord of the said castle. 

 Within the bowels of the Geese is a fatness of singular 

 medicin-[al value] ; for it heals many infirmities specially 

 such as come by gout and catarrh causing disease in the 

 haunches or groins of men and women." 



Boece's has been erroneously considered to be the first 

 account of the Gannets on the Bass, but \^'e have shown 



* Professor Newton remarks that " tree " is the old word, meaning wood or 

 pieces of wood, and is here used in that sense. " Treen " is an obsolete 

 adjective which rneant wooden. 



