GANNETS AS FOOD 459 



from such contemporary evidence as the Water Poet's 

 praise in 1618, and the Lauderdale accounts (1674-8), and 

 from the high rents paid to Sir Hugh Dalrymple, and no 

 doubt the nestlings were systematically gathered upon the 

 ledges, at stated intervals, weather permitting, every year. 

 When Thomas Pennant visited the Bass Rock in July, 1769. 

 he found all its birds strictly preserved, no one being 

 permitted to shoot at the Gannets, " the place being 

 farmed principally on account of the profit arising 

 from the sale of the young of these birds, and of the 

 Kittiwake . . ."* The Gannets were regularly sold at the 

 Edinburgh poultry-market, and a newspaper of the period 

 gives John Watson as the name of one of the salesmen. 

 This poultry-market was situated on the same platform 

 with the veal-market, and had communication by flights 

 of stairs with the markets below. f 



The young Gannets were no doubt neatly plucked and 

 trussed for the spit, and doubtless their appearance when 

 so prepared was fairly inviting. Yet they must have 

 been fishy dainties at best, a mixture of fish and fowl 

 unsuited for refined palates : " saporem ex carne et pisca 

 mixtum," as Sir Robert Sibbald has it ; but this 



* " Tour in Scotland," I., p. GO. 



f " Picture of Edinburgh," by J. Stark, p. 295. I am indebted to 

 Mr. W. Evans for an extract from it. 



