COMMON GANNET. 233 
-« The circumstance connected with the Bass most interesting to the 
Zoologist, is its being one of the few places in Britain to which the 
Gannet resorts during the breeding season. The number which I saw 
on the 13th May 1831, when I for the first time visited it along with 
some friends, might be estimated at twenty thousand. Every part of 
the mural faces of the rock, especially towards their summits, was more 
or less covered by them. In one spot near the landing place, about 
forty yards in circumference, and on a gentle slope of gravelly ground, 
about three hundred individuals were sitting in peaceful security on 
their nests. ' 
* The Gannets arrive about the middle of February or the beginning 
of March, and depart in October ; some years a few individuals remain 
during the winter. The nests are composed of grass and sea-weeds, 
generally placed on the bare rock or earth, elevated in the form of a 
truncated cone, of which the base is about twenty inches in diameter, 
with a shallow terminal cavity. On the summit of the island are 
numerous holes in the turf, from eight to fifteen inches deep, and 
from six to nine broad, formed by the Gannets in pulling away grass 
and turf for their nests. They are placed on all parts of the rocks 
where a convenient spot occurs, but are much more numerous towards 
the summit. Some of them on the face of the rock, or in a shallow 
fissure, and which have been occupied for years, are piled up to the 
height of from three to five feet, but in this case they always lean 
against the rock. The egg, which is solitary, and presents nothing re- 
markable in its position, is of an elongated oval form, bluish-white, 
dull, with a chalky surface, usually patched with yellowish-brown 
dirt. It is subjected to what might appear rough usage, for the bird 
in alighting, flying off, or when disturbed by the intrusion of human 
visitors, tosses it about, and often stands upon it. 
“ When sitting, the Gannets usually allow a person to approach with- 
in three feet, sometimes much nearer, so that one may even touch 
them. When one approaches them, they merely open their bill, and 
utter their usual cry, or they rise and express some degree of resent- 
ment, but seem to have very little apprehension of danger. They take | 
advantage of the absence of their neighbours to pilfer the materials of 
their nests, frequently two join in this act, and occasionally two may 
be seen tugging at the same bunch, endeavouring to wrest it from 
each other. They are constantly repairing their nests, which being 
