THEj BASS ROCK 215 



incubated the Gannet stamped upon them to break them ! 

 Gordon is the first writer to call attention to the seaman's way 

 of catching Gannets with a herring nailed on a board, which 

 so many subsequent authors allude to but which it does not 

 appear that any naturalist has ever been a witness to, 

 though the fact is not thereby discredited. Blaeu, or rather, 

 Robert Gordon, has also the credit of being the first who 

 detected the union of the furculum with the keel of the 

 sternum ; and they likewise mention the Gannet's disinclina- 

 tion to fly over land. 



25. " Excerpts from the Books of John Duke of 

 Lauderdale " (1674-1678). 



Communicated by the late Mr. Robert Romanes to " The 

 Berwickshire Naturahsts' Club," these interesting accounts, 

 which have already been placed before the public by Mr. 

 George Muirhead, are well worthy of reproduction ; they will 

 be here quoted from the Proceedings of the B. N. Club for 

 1873 (p. 90). It may be premised that the Bass Rock was 

 purchased from Sir Andrew Ramsay in 1671 by the Earl of 

 Lauderdale (afterwards Duke) in the name of the Govern- 

 ment, Lauderdale being appointed by the treble title of 

 captain, keeper and governor. 



1674.— By pryce of Sollen-Geese of The Bass. The 

 accomptant charges himself with the pryce of 1118 



