34 ANNALS OF BIRD LIFE. 



into the water with a terrific plunge, rarely failing" 

 in their efforts. But if the air is full of birds the 

 rocks are even more so. You may see them 

 standing on the short grass at the top of the cliffs 

 fast asleep, with their heads buried in their dorsal 

 plumage. Thousands of birds are flying to and 

 fro along the face of the lofty cliffs ; on every 

 possible place a Gannet's nest is built, and the 

 birds are incessantly quarrelling, owing to their 

 close companionship. The air resounds with 

 their loud cries of carra carra carra ; and as 

 we approach the nests, numbers of birds rise from 

 them, and, after disgorging a half-digested fish, 

 launch buoyantly into space. Some birds refuse 

 to leave their egg until they are pushed from it, 

 all the time uttering cries of angry remonstrance. 

 Occasionally two birds fight fiercely, and go top- 

 pling over the cliffs down the dizzy depths locked 

 in tight embrace, but separating as they fall, and 

 recovering themselves long before they reach the 

 water. Many of the Gannets in the air are 

 Gannets carrying materials for their nests. The Gannet 

 jX^th 7 " only lays one egg, which is nearly white when 

 fresh, but soon becomes coated with dirt from the 

 wet feet of the parent bird. The nests are built 

 of seaweed, coarse grass, and turf, with a few 

 feathers by way of lining ; and the stench arising 

 from the decaying fish and slime, and the drop- 

 pings of the birds, which make the rocks look as 

 if they had been whitewashed, is sometimes 

 almost unbearable. On the stretches of shingly 



