1 68 THE GANNET 



THE GANNET 



SULA BASSANA 



Crown buli-ycllow ; general plumage milk-white ; (|uills black ; bill bluish 

 grey at the base, white at the tip ; orbits pale blue ; membrane prolonged 

 from the gape and that under the throat dusky blue ; irides yellow ; 

 feet striped with green, the membranes dusky ; claws white. Birds of 

 the first year, general plumage dusky brown, beneath greyish. In the 

 second year, greyish black above, marked with numerous triangular 

 white spots, whitish below. Length three feet. Eggs dull greenish 

 white. 



It would not be difificult to compile, from various sources, a descrip- 

 tion of the Gannet and its habits which would fill more pages than 

 my readers, perhaps, would care to peruse. To avoid this contin- 

 gency, I will limit myself to a statement of my own personal acquaint- 

 ance with the bird and its ways, and a transcript of notes kindly 

 furnished me by a friend who visited the Bass Rock, one of its 

 favourite haunts in the breeding season. 



Extract from my oivn Journal. — •' August 27th. I lay for a long 

 time to-day on the thick herbage wliich crowns the splendid cliffs, 

 ' ' the Gobbins' ', near the entrance of Belfast Lough, watching through 

 a telescope the proceedings of some Gannets, or Solan Geese. This 

 bird, which is aUied to the Pelicans rather than the Geese, is of a 

 large size, much bigger than a Gull, from which, also, it may be 

 distinguished at a distance by its greater length of neck, the intense 

 whiteness of its plumage, and the black tip of its wide-spreading 

 wings. But apart from all these distinguishing characters, its mode 

 of fishing is, by itself, sufficient to mark it. In flight it is eminently 

 wandering ; it circles round and round, or describes a figure of 

 eight, at a varying elevation above the water, in quest of herrings, 

 pilchards, or other fish whose habit is to swim near l^e surface. 

 When it has discovered a prey, it suddenly arrests its flight, partially 

 closes its wings, and descends head foremost with a force sufficient 

 to make a jet d'eau visible two or three miles off, and to carry itself 

 many feet downwards. When successful, it brings its prize to the 

 surface, and devours it without troubling itself about mastication. 

 If unsuccessful, it rises immediately, and resumes its hunting. It 

 is sometimes seen swimming, perhaps to rest itself, for I did not 

 observe that it ever dived on these occasions. My companion told 

 me that the fishermen on the coast of Ireland say that, if chased 

 by a boat when seen swimming, it becomes so terrified as to be un- 

 able to rise. The real reason may be that it is gorged with food. 

 He was once in a boat on the Lough, when, a Gannet being seen a 

 long way ahead, it was determined to give chase, and ascertain 

 whether the statement was correct. As the boat drew near, the 

 Gannet endeavoured to escape by swimming ; but made no attempt 

 either to dive or to use its wings. After a pretty long chase, the 



