522 Pelicanidw. 



it feeds greatly on eels; but I believe they apply these terms 

 indiscriminately to both species. The Norwegian naturalist of 

 olden time, Bishop Pontoppidan, has many marvellous tales in 

 regard to this bird. In France it is Cormoran nigaud, ' Foolish 

 Cormorant'; in Germany, Krahen Pelikan, 'Crow Pelican.' In 

 Spain and Portugal it shares the same name as its larger 

 congener. The English word Shag, meaning 'rough,' or 

 ' shaggy,' is supposed to refer to its rugged crest. 



219. GANNET (Sula alba). 



Known also as the Solan Goose, and is common enough on our 

 coasts. In general form and in regard to the peculiar structure 

 of foot, it closely resembles the Cormorant, but in habits it 

 widely differs from that bird : for it never dives, though it some- 

 times floats on the water, and Knox says that in mid-Channel off 

 the Sussex coast, where it is abundant during the herring season, 

 it sleeps on the waves so profoundly as sometimes to allow the 

 boats to pass over it. But it is almost continually on the wing, 

 and in seeking its prey soars to a great height, and then, partially 

 closing its wings, suddenly darts down upon it with amazing 

 impetus ; but, indeed, its power of flight seems inexhaustible, 

 and being of a light and buoyant nature, and provided with an 

 internal supply of air-cells, it can float on unwearied wing with- 

 out exertion. Montagu says that intermediate air is dispersed 

 between the skin and the body, which is not only a great security 

 against cold in the upper regions of the atmosphere, where it 

 passes so much of its life, but also lessens the concussion in its 

 rapid descent upon the water when it precipitates itself on its 

 prey. Though so light and buoyant, it is a large bird, with an 

 immense expanse of wing. It has a strong sharp-pointed beak, 

 not hooked as in the Cormorant. It has also the claw of the 

 middle toe serrated on its inner edge. It lays its single egg on 

 the lofty crags which overhang the sea, and which are often 

 quite inaccessible. Stack Island, the Skerries, and St. Kilda are 

 some of the chief breeding-places of the Gannets. Every year a 

 boat makes an expedition to them to collect the young Gannets 



