FOOD AND FISHING 401 



more certainty about the depth to which Gannets are 

 capable of diving — but of that, more presently. According 

 to the late Mr. James Tomison, it is easy to form a con- 

 clusion as to whether a dive has been successful or not, for 

 if nothing has been caught, the Gannet on emerging takes 

 to flight immediately, whereas when successful a short time 

 is often spent on the surface, and the bird gives itself 

 a shake up before resuming flight.* If this is always a 

 criterion, the percentage of successful dives must be very 

 small. It requires very close watching to discover little 

 traits like this in their habits, but everything can be 

 found out in time. Having caught its prey, the Gannet 

 emerges from the sea, with its plumage dry, buoyant as a 

 cork, with emptied air-cells, and head to wind, if there be any, 

 mounts in a wide curve. The fish, which we may be quite 

 sure has been swallowed head foremost, is now in the 

 Gannet's capacious throat, for, unlike the Cormorant, this 

 bird is very rarely seen to bring its prey to the surface. 

 " Only once," says Mr. Tomison, " have I seen the fish in its 

 bill above water, and this was when, instead of diving, it 

 merely skimmed through the surface amongst a shoal of 

 podleys.t" Mr. Tomison has seen Gannets still diving an 

 hour after sunset, and on a still night in August, with a 



* " Ann. Scot. Nat. Hist.," 1907, p. 27. 



I Young Coal -fish. 



CC 



