On Crag and Sea-cliff. 249 



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teristic of their parents; neither do they breed until 

 they are four or five years old. A few of these 

 party-coloured immature birds may be detected 

 amongst the crowd of adults at the Bass; but, as a 

 rule, these young ones do not congregate much at 

 the breeding-places until ready to propagate their 

 species. In many respects the Gannet is a very 

 remarkable bird. The nostrils are closed, being 

 practically obliterated, the tongue is small and 

 aborted, whilst nearly the entire surface of the body 

 is covered with a net-work of subcutaneous air-cells, 

 communicating with the lungs, and thus emptied or 

 inflated as the bird may desire. We have already 

 dwelt at some length upon the Gannet's ways of life, 

 and it will at once be seen from the above facts how 

 admirably the bird is fitted not only for an aerial 

 existence, but for withstanding the great pressure of 

 the water during its repeated plunges into the sea 

 from high altitudes. 



There are also many Kittiwakes nesting about 

 the cliffs of the Bass, and a few Herring Gulls. 

 The former birds breed most abundantly upon the 

 precipitous cliffs, low down many of them, and in 

 very inaccessible spots. We have, however, taken 

 many eggs of this Gull from nests nearer the top of 

 the cliffs, and in places which we had little difficulty 

 in reaching without the aid of a rope. The nest of 

 this Gull is a substantial one, made largely of turf, 



