256 FRIGATE BIRDS. 



selves. To attain this object, the sea-liawk ho- 

 vers above the gannet, (which is the bird most 

 usually selected for attack,) and, darting rapidly 

 down, strikes him on the back of the head, caus- 

 ing him to disgorge his prey, which is seized by 

 the hawk with an inconceivable rapidity before 

 it reaches the water, and afterwards soars aloft to 

 look out for another object of attack. It is 

 not an uncommon circumstance to observe a 

 single gannet selected from a flock, and come 

 out to be the subject of attack, as if he had 

 been called by the hawk in preference to the 

 others. The gannet, however, manoeuvres to 

 avoid the blow, by darting about, lowering him- 

 self from his elevation in the air at every dart, 

 and, raising his beak in a perpendicular direc- 

 tion ; by these means it eludes the blow of the 

 hawk from behind, and they frequently both 

 fall into the water together; the hawk only 

 having the advantage over the gannet when 

 hovering in the air, the latter escapes. At the 

 Island of Ascension, where these birds are com- 

 mon, I was informed by Lieutenant M 'Arthur, 

 (Marine Artillery,) that the method practised by 

 the hawks to oblige the gannet to disgorge their 

 prey, was tried by a gentleman who lately visited 

 the island : he had seen the attack of the hawk 

 on the gannet, and the successful result. When 

 he visited the part of tlie island named " The 



