SINGULAR METHOD OF CATGHINQ GANNETS. 341 



constructing on the ground a nest a foot and a half in diam- 

 eter, furnished with soft sea-plants. 



The flesh of the pelican was forbidden to the Jews as 

 unclean. It has an ill taste, and in our country is used for 

 its oil. The pouches of these birds have also been used to 

 hold tobacco, and this skin, when dressed, is very soft. 



To the pelican tribe also belongs the Gannet, Solan 

 Goose, much larger than the gulls, from which they may be 

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

 intense whiteness of the plumage, and the black tip of their 

 wide-spread wings. The mode in which the Gannet fishes 

 18 peculiar. " In flight," remarks the Rev. C. A. Johns, " it 

 circles round and round, and describes again and again the fig- 

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

 of herrings, pilchards, and other fishes, whose habit it is to 

 swim near the surface. When it has discovered a prey, it 

 suddenly arrests its flight, probably closes its wings, and 

 descends with a force sufficient to make a jet of water visi- 

 ble two or three miles off, and carry it many feet down- 

 wards. 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 hunt- 

 ing. It is sometimes seen swimm'ng, 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 coasts of 

 Ireland say that if this bird be chased by a boat when seen 

 swimming, it becomes so terrified as to be unable 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 off, it was determined to give chase, and ascer- 

 tain whether the statement was true. As the boat drew 

 near, the gannet endeavored to escape by swimming, but 

 made no attempt to use its wings. After a pretty long 

 chase the boatmen secured it, in spite of a very severe bite 

 which it inflicted on his hand. It did not appear to have 



