CATALOGUE OF BIRDS. 131 



only an early-hatched bird of the preceding season ; 

 in like manner I expect that their third and fourth year 

 birds will be discovered to be of the same age. 



The graceful manner in which the Gannet takes its 

 prey, steadying itself for a moment in the air, and 

 then darting headlong beneath the waves, must be seen 

 to be thoroughly understood. 



The amount of fish that these birds consume is 

 something enormous. It has been estimated that the 

 Bass Gannets number about 50,000, and as each bird 

 will readily devour ten herrings in a day, it can be 

 easily calculated that the market value of the fish re- 

 quired for one day's consumption by this colony alone 

 would be considerably over 1,000. 



The specimens in the case, representing the birds at 

 one and two years old, were obtained at the Bass Eock 

 during August, 1874. 



BEWICK SWAN. 

 Case 155. 



The visits of this small Swan to the British Islands 

 are very uncertain; hundreds may be observed one 

 winter, and not a single bird make its appearance the 

 following season. They do not generally arrive in 

 such large bodies as the Hoopers ; but I once counted 

 between fifty and sixty flying in company over Hick- 

 ling Broad, in Norfolk. 



The specimen in the case was shot on Hickling 

 Broad, in March, 1871 ; it was a female, and only 

 weighed 9 Ibs. 



K 2 



