Class II. GANNET CORVORANT. 289 



latter, will serve to give some idea of the num- 

 bers of these, and of the other birds that an- 

 nually migrate to that little spot. 



" There is a small island, called by the 

 " Scotch, Bass Island, 7iot more than a mile 

 " in circurnference ; the surface is almost wholly 

 " covered during the months of May and June 

 " with nests, eggs, and young birds ; so that it 

 " is scarcely possible to walk zvithout treading 

 " on them : and the flocks of birds inflight are 

 '' so p7vdigious, as to darken the air like clouds; 

 *' and their noise is such, that you can?iotf . 

 " without difficulty, hear your next neighbors • 

 " voice. If you look down upon the sea, from 

 " the top of the precipice, you will see it 

 " on every side covered with infnite numbers of 

 " birds of different kinds, swimming and hunt- 

 " ing for prey: if in sailing round the island 

 " you survey the hanging cliffs, you may see 

 " in every cragg or fissure of the broken i^ocks, 

 " innumerable birds of various sorts and sizes, 

 " 7nore than the stars of heaven when viewed 

 " in a serene flight: f from afar you see 

 " the distajit flocks, either flying to or from 

 " the island, you would imagine them to be a 

 " vast swar^m of bees.''* : . , 



* Est insula parva, Scott Basse nominant, haud amplius 

 mille passuum circuitu amplitude ejus clauditur. Hujus insidoB 



YOh, II. U 



