VANNET. 



51 



Teaching fhe top, had it not been for the kindness of th» keepers of the light iTiat had been 

 phiced on the top of the ishind some three years previous. They having noticed our arriv- 

 al, had lowered a bucket whitdi was suspended by a crani;, and we stepping into it, slow- 

 ly ascended, swinging back and forth as we went upward, until we reached a narrow shelf, 

 some thirty feet from the top, on which we stepped, climbed a ladder, and fmuid ourselves on 

 to}) of Bird Rock, which although only about an acre in urea, furnished ground enough to 

 fully occupy my attention for some time, as sliortly after our arrival the sea rose, and our 

 not very courageous captain, fearing for the safety of his shij), weighed anclior, sailed away, 

 uiid left us on this lonely islet, where we were obliged to remain ten days. 



Among the most noticeable birds on the rock, wei'e the Gannets, and tlicy occupied a 

 consiilerable space on the north-west side of the upper portion. Here the soil was com- 

 pletely ileiuided of vegetation and the bulky nests which were composed of sea-weed, were 

 placed in long rows, about a- foot apart, reminding one strongly of hills of corn. This reg- 

 iuLiriiy was due to the fact, that the Gannets arc quarrelsome birds and will not permit 

 •jinother to approach within striking distance when they are sitting. Early in the morning, 

 when all the birds wera on the nests, they presented a singular appearance;, for there was 

 fully a. ([uarter of an acre of Gannets. They were remarkably unsuspicious, allowing one 

 to ajiproach within a few feet of them, but when fiirly startlet], they would all srrandde 

 helliu'-skelter, to the edge of the clifF, whea they would launch out into the iiir, U'itli loud 

 cries. The hideous din made by this living catanict as it poured down from abov-e, st;ir(led 

 those which nested on the shelves of the clilFs btneath, causing them to take wing, thus 

 increasing their numbers to such an extent, that when we reached the edge of the preci- 

 pice, there were, at least, ten thousand Gannets before us, fiying hi^li over (he surging 

 ■waves. A sight like this is rarely seen and strongly reminded one of a snow .storm, when 

 the countless flakes whirl in wild confusion. At first, the birds hovered directly about tii<i 

 island but quickly assumed a systematic method of flight, which I afterwanl observed was 

 ■constantly practiced by them. They would approach the rock, coming so near that we 

 could almost feel the wind cau.sed by their huge wings, and curving outward, vvtmld de- 

 scribe an immense circle of half a mile or more in diameter; as each followed its neighbor in 

 this singular course, the whole soon formed a huge wheel which whirled swiftly around for 

 some time, when the birds would disperse. 



We found that the Gannets of Bird R(M:k deposited one, or rarely two, <-ggs, pure 

 ■white at first, but these soon became soiled, as the birds are far from being neat. When 

 disturbed, eveiy bird would disgorge some fish before flying away, and thus the ground 

 was strewed with the half digested contents of their stomachs, which, when the hot suu 

 shown on it, soon gave out an intolerable stench. The Gannets were always rep.airing 

 their nests and frequently one wouhl come flying in with a mass of dripjiing sea- wood wliich 

 it had taken from the water, and pitching heavily upon the shelf, would arrange it on its 

 nest. But no sooner had the bird placed it in a satisfactory manner, when [)erhaps it would 

 be seized by some neighbor (hat had been watching the opperation and now endeavored (o 

 appropriate the material for its own use. The theft although boldly peri)e(ra(ed, was not 

 ■always successfully accomplished, for the \ictim of this outrage would stoutly contest the 

 prize by striking out fiercely with its powerful bill, often causing the i)luiiderer to relin- 

 guish its booty. A violent struggle would then ensue, <luring which many blows would 



