GANNET 



forward and onward, to return again and again in a marvellous 

 mixed maze. And far, far below there is the green Atlantic, look- 

 ing still and silent as a pond, with many more birds swimming 

 on its surface, and thousands more, like tiny white flakes, dream- 

 ingly circling over the waves, for in reality the sea is anything 

 but smooth ; and as we watch these dots, one and then another 

 drops into the water, leaving behind a little dash of white spray. 

 A deafening noise is all around, a wild, harsh roar, as each Gannet 

 within view bends his big neck forwards, opens his great beak, 

 and " squarks " at the intruders. Those flying take up the chorus, 

 and the whole is a pandemonium of sounds one never forgets. 



Before me, as I write, there is a wild, rocky bay, and a strong 

 easterly wind is sending the large waves with ceaseless fury against 

 the black rocks. On the green slopes, above the reach of the 

 water, there are a few sheep, and between the lashing and splash- 

 ing of the foam the bleating of these is heard. Kittiwakes and 

 numerous other Gulls are flying round their nests, but above 

 these several Gannets are sailing with outspread wings. Some of 

 these are over one hundred and fifty feet above the water, but 

 their keen eyes can see some distance below the surface, and one 

 and then another suddenly stops in their flight, duck their heads, 

 half-close their wings, and with a mighty splash enter the water 

 and disappear from view. The Gannets on Stac Lii consume an 

 enormous quantity of fish through the summer, and at a rough 

 estimate they take not less than 10,000,000 herrings from the sea 

 from May until September ! 



I first looked upon Stac Lii from the heights above the 

 village of St. Kilda, and at this distance about four miles away 

 it looked like a great whitewashed rock, such countless numbers 

 of birds there seemed to be on its shelves and precipices. The 

 day we selected for our visit was anything but calm, and the four 

 St. Kilda boatmen had to row hard for nearly three hours before 



93 u 



