446 



THE GANNET 



France, Germany, Bohemia and Spain.* A map of 

 Western Europe will serve to show some of these occur- 

 rences (indicated by a cross), though it does not pretend 

 to give them all, as well as some of the most inland 

 of those notified in England. 



Killed when fightiyig with one another. — In Chapter VII., 

 special emphasis was laid on the pugnacious character 

 of the Gannet during the breeding-season, and I en- 

 deavoured to describe the 

 fights which, beginning 

 in play, go on increas- 

 ing until they become 

 desperate encoimters . 

 Not infrequently two 

 lusty adults, probably 

 males, while thus en- 

 gaged in strife, approach 

 too near the edge, and 

 topple into the sea, 

 which they reach with 

 a big splash. In no ways 

 disconcerted, however, they still hold on to one another 

 with the utmost tenacit3^ It occasionally happens that 

 in falling, one of the combatants is caught in a fissure of 



* Sec p. 33, 



