176 FALCO PEREGRINUS. 



of the tyrant. The young of the latter also attacked 

 its neighbour, but was instantly checked, on which it 

 meekly desisted. One of the men informed me that 

 last year there were fourteen nests, each with two eggs. 

 In such cases, one of the young is said to be much 

 smaller than the other. The description of the gannet, 

 its mode of capturing its prey, the structure of its in- 

 testinal canal, and other particulars respecting it, I must 

 leave for another occasion. 



The Bass is not remarkable for the number or va- 

 riety of other species of birds that resort to it. Those 

 which I observed there were : Alca Torda, Mormon 

 Fratercula, Uria Troile, Larus marinus, L. argentatus, 

 L. tridactylus, Carbo cristatus, Tringa maritima. Be- 

 sides these sea birds, the raven, the jackdaw, the do- 

 mestic pigeon, the common titlar^, and the wheatear, 

 breed there. The peregrine falcon, like a feudal ba- 

 ron, lords it over the rocky isle, forming his nest on 

 the face of the precipices, and preying upon the young 

 birds. At my first visit I had the good fortune to see 

 the two old birds, and on my second the young one 

 which had escaped when its brethren were carried into 

 captivity. One of the men pointed out the spot in 

 which the nest had been, and which he described as be- 

 ing flat, and composed entirely of grass. 



Having ended our observations, we proceeded to- 

 wards North Berwick. In the course of our voyage, 

 Mr Audubon shot a number of kittiwakes and auk?, 

 but my own exploits not being remarkable, I need not 

 trouble you with an account of them. Although the 

 weather was very close and hot, we walked to Mussel- 



