WATER FOWL. 375 



prevent its being easily swallowed in that position. 

 In this case, the bird is seen to toss its prey above 

 its head, and very dexterously to catch it, when 

 descending, by the proper end, and so swallow it 

 with ease. 



CHAPTER V. 



; x Ki 



OF THE GANNET, OR SOLANB GOOSE. 



THE Gannet is of the size of a tame goose, but 

 its wings much longer, being six feet over. The 

 bill is six inches long, straight almost to the point, 

 where it inclines down, and the sides are irregu- 

 larly jagged, that it may hold its prey with greater 

 security. It differs from the cormorant in size, 

 being larger ; and its colour, which is chiefly 

 white ; and by its having no nostrils, but in their 

 place a long furrow, that reaches almost to the 

 end of the bill. From the corner of the mouth 

 is a narrow slip of black bare skin, that extends 

 to the hind part of the head ; beneath the skin is 

 another, that, like the pouch of the pelican, is 

 dilatable, and of size sufficient to contain five or 

 six entire herrings, which in the breeding season 

 it carries at once to its mate or its young. 



These birds, which subsist entirely upon fish, 

 chiefly resort to those uninhabited islands where 

 their food is found in plenty, and men seldom 

 come to disturb them. The islands to the north 



