THE CORMORANT. 267 



fright, and are not dislodged from the unpleasing in- 

 cumbrance until a leather thong has been fastened 

 round the lower part of their neck to prevent them 

 from swallowing the objects of their pursuit, or their 

 possessors would derive little benefit from their skill. 

 As soon as they are unveiled they dive under the wa- 

 ter, and remain there a considerable time, until they 

 have caught four or five fish, which are without diffi- 

 culty dislodged from out their throat. 



OF THE GANNET, OR SOLAND GOOSE. 



Th e gannet is about the size of a tame goose, but 

 its wings are of a much greater length : the bill is about 

 six inches, and the sides are irregularly jagged : as a 

 substitute for nostrils, there is a deep furrow that 

 reaches almost to the end of the bill ; and the plumage 

 is nearly white : from the corner of the mouth is a 

 narrow slip of bare skin, black in colour, extending 

 to the back of the head ; beyond that skin is another, 

 that, like the pouch of the pelican, will easily dilate, 

 and contain, at least, five or six herrings, which, dur- 

 ing the time of nurturing, the male uses as a convey- 

 ance of food to the female and her young. 



The islands to the north of Scotland, the coasts of 

 Kerry in Ireland, and those which lie in the North Seas, 

 are where these birds most abound ; and they are seen 

 in those places, during the months of May and June, 

 in such abundance that they absolutely seem to cover 

 the ground. Martin assures us, that, upon the rocks 

 of St. Kilda, the inhabitants consume near twenty- 

 three thousand of young birds, and eat of their eggs in 

 the same proportion, without appearing to decrease 

 the breed. 



The gannet is a bird of passage> which in winter seeks 



