THE BASS ROCK 249 



diminution ; at the same time old North Berwick fisher- 

 men have told Mr. Bonar that when driven from the 

 slopes the Gannets sought out several new sites on the 

 cliffs, where they had not bred before, and Mr. Evans 

 thinks that he saw more on the Rock, when at the Bass 

 on August 21st, 1909 — about 6 p.m. — than he had ever 

 seen before. As the young are no longer taken, a portion of 

 them probably find their way to other settlements, but, as 

 will be shown later, it seems likely that there is a great 

 mortality of young Gannets after they are old enough to take 

 the sea. Both Mr. Henry Gurney and I thought there were 

 more Gannets at Ailsa Craig than at the Bass Rock, but I 

 have reckoned them both at 6500, not counting young ones 

 in either case. 



Besides Gannets there are many other birds which breed 

 on the Bass ; unquestionably the Guillemot is nearly as 

 numerous as the Gannet, and there cannot be far short 

 of 2000 Kittiwake Gulls nesting there. 



Letting Value of the Bass from 1535 to 1767. — Several early 

 writers testify to the great pecuniary value of the produce of 

 the Bass Rock. Peter Swave, the Dane, was told in 1535 

 that the commander of the fort annually collected 400 

 gold pieces — probably the pound of Henry VIII. — as the 

 produce of the Gannets, which seems almost incredible 

 did we not know the very great value formerly attached 



