566 BIRDS OF SOMERSETSHIRE. 



not, however, always the case, for a correspondent 

 of the ' Zoologist,' in the volume for 1868 (Second 

 Series, p. 1366), describing the breeding station at 

 Ailsa Craig, says they built at all parts of the cliffs, 

 from the highest parts of the rock to close down to 

 the sea : the nests were very large, made of coarse 

 campion-stalks, fern-leaves, sea-weed, &c., and lined 

 with finer grass and weed. The same correspondent 

 also says it is a very interesting sight in the evening 

 to watch those who had been fishing come back to 

 their mates on their nests, who welcome them with a 

 satisfied cackle, which changes to a choking gulp as 

 they swallow the fish which their partners have dis- 

 gorged. 



The food of the Gannet appears to consist entirely 

 of fish, and consequently the flesh must always be 

 very fishy and unpleasant at least I can answer for 

 that of one that I tasted when in Scotland, where the 

 Solan Goose is considered rather good, and even a 

 whet to the appetite : nicely cooked it looks very 

 good arid much like an ordinary Goose, but the 

 similarity ends there. 



The adult Gannet is a beautiful bird : the bill is 

 of a pale greyish blue, sharp and pointed at the end, 

 and without the hook of the Cormorant ; the irides 

 are pale straw-yellow ; the head and back of the neck 

 buff ; all the rest of the plumage, except the primary 

 quills, is pure white ; the primary quills are black, 

 the outside ones very long, but decreasing in length 



