1*3 



confiding disposition, appearing unfortunately for 

 themselves to be totally unacquainted with the 

 destructive propensities of man. 



The specimens in the case were shot on the 

 I sland of Ebris in the Firth of Forth in September, 

 1874. 



MUTE SWAN. 

 Case 152. 



The Mute or Tame Swan being included in all 

 the lists of British birds is here shown with its 

 young brood. 



The specimens in the case were obtained on 

 Somerton Broad in Norfolk in June, 1871. The 

 weight of the male was 32 Ibs., that of the female 

 18 Ibs. 



GANNET. (MATURE AND NESTLINGS). 

 Case 153. 



There are about half-a-dozen breeding 

 stations of these birds round the British Islands. 

 It is however only during spring and summer that 

 they approach the land (unless weakened by stress 

 of weather or accident) for the purpose of rearing 

 their young ; at other seasons they follow the 

 shoals of herring and mackerel or other fish on 

 which they feed and rest on the open sea. 



The present case is copied from a sketch taken 

 on the north side of the Bass Rock. The mature 

 birds are here represented, some with their newly- 

 hatched and others with full-fledged young. On 

 breaking the shell the young Gannet is a 

 small, naked, shapeless monstrosity ; its first 

 covering is a thin white down, which gradually 

 thickens with the size of the bird ; this it retains 

 tor about a month before the slightest signs of 

 feathers make their appearance. The nestling 

 plumage, as will be readily seen by the specimens in 



