374 THE GANNET. 



One day a gentleman's servant went in to look at them, wear- 

 ing, unfortunately for himself, a pair of red plush breeches, 

 which immediately caught their attention, mistaking them, 

 probably, for raw flesh, as they had been accustomed to be 

 fed on raw liver and lights, resembling the plush, in some 

 degree, in colour : the consequence was, they made such a 

 furious charge, that the owner was obliged to come to his 

 assistance with a stick, and even then could not keep them 

 off without much difficulty. Their attack on dogs, cats, and 

 poultry, if unprotected, was always fatal. They fought at once 

 with their bills, wings, and claws, screaming frightfully all 

 the time. They were on this account at last parted with, 

 having killed a favourite pointer. The poor dog had incau- 

 tiously strayed into the place where they were kept, when 

 they immediately flew at him, and attacked him in front and 

 rear : his loud howlings brought his master to his aid, but 

 too late ; they had got him down, and inflicted fatal wounds. 



The chief difference between Cormorants and the Frigate- 

 birds, so called from their keeping a sharp look-out on other 

 birds, and robbing them of their fish, consists in the latter 

 having forked tails like our Swallows : their spread of wing is 

 also proportionably much larger, and they are altogether of a 

 lighter and more elegant appearance. We know but little of 

 them ; indeed, our knowledge is limited to one species only, 

 of which we have already spoken (see p. 77), when considering 

 the buoyancy of birds and their power of floating in the air. 

 We shall therefore proceed to the next genus, Gannets, or 

 Boobies, as some of them are called by sailors, owing to the 

 stupidity with which they suffer themselves to be attacked and 

 robbed by men and birds. 



The Common Gannet (Solan Goose) is the species to which 

 we shall confine our remarks : well known as it must be to 

 those who have sailed on either side of the Scottish coast, as 

 well as several other shores of our island, it will be more 

 familiar to many under the name of the Solan Goose. Like 

 most of the other birds of this tribe, it is profusely supplied 

 with air-cells : and we refer our readers to the account already 

 given (p. 53) of these peculiarities in its formation, merely 



