132 



KEARTONS' NATURE PICTURES 



bluish white colour, covered with a thick 

 coat of lime, which soon becomes soiled 



THE G AN NET. 



to a dirty brown tint by contact with 

 the sitting bird's feet. 



Although Gannets are by no means 

 shy birds in their breeding haunts, 

 curiously enough those resorting to the 

 Bass Rock always appear to me to be 

 bolder than the members of any other 

 colony I have visited. On several occa- 

 sions I have had my legs vigorously 

 pecked whilst walking about amongst 



sitting birds breeding on the historic 

 rock. 



The Gannet's method of catching its 

 prey is distinctly curious. Sailing along 

 upon outstretched wings, at a height of 

 from two to three hundred feet above 

 the sea, it keeps a diligent look-out for 

 any surface-swimming fish, such as a 

 herring, sprat, or pilchard, below, and 

 directly one is espied the bird turns 

 sharply in its course, half closes its wings 

 and descends like an arrow. Striking 

 the water it disappears, leaving a patch 

 of foam on the surface, and, as a rule, 

 is gone from view between eight and 

 twelve seconds, when it shoots to the 

 surface again with such buoyant alacrity 

 as to suggest that it has been released 

 from a spring. 



Great numbers of young Solan Geese 

 are captured in August at St. Kilda, 

 and cured for winter consumption. In 

 former days Lowland farmers bought 

 birds taken at the Bass Rock for the 

 same purpose. A piece of roast Gannet 

 was supposed to be a great appetiser, 

 but a farmer attending a public dinner 

 on one occasion avowed his disbelief in 

 it, saying that he had eaten a whole 

 goose before leaving home, and did not 

 feel a bit the more hungry for it. 



