176 THE NORTHUMBERLAND COAST IN SEPTEMBER 



Here we were conscious that there was one thing lacking — • 

 there were no Terns to be seen. The great majority of these 

 graceful birds had already left our shores for a more southern 

 clime. Any to be met with now would be mere stragglers from 

 further north ; the local breeding birds having disappeared. 

 As late as five days ago (September 17th) we saw quite a 

 number of them from these rocks, and as we watched them 

 diving headlong into the waves, up came their arch enemy 

 the piratical Skua and chased them unmercifully. He was a 

 fine bird — an Arctic, or Richardson's, Skua of the darker type. 

 As he wheeled after the Terns he spread out his tail, which, 

 owing to the longer central feathers, appeared almost wedge- 

 shaped. In his dashing flight he reminded us of some kind 

 of hawk or falcon. 



But if the Terns were not there to dive for us, the Gannets 

 were. These huge birds hurl themselves into the water with 

 a tremendous splash which is visible far out to sea. Their 

 diving attitude is perfect. With wings sloped back and neck 

 outstretched they plunge headlong into the waves, and must 

 reach a considerable depth. Except for the primaries which 

 are jet black, and the head which is a dull yellow, the full 

 grown Gannet is a dazzling white bird. In the sunshine it 

 can be seen as a bright speck at a great distance. No Gull 

 can compare with it in the snowy whiteness of its plumage. 

 The young birds, however, are a dull smoky brown, their 

 plumage just lightened by a tiny fleck of white on each feather. 

 At a distance they are hardly distinguishable in colour from 

 young Cormorants, though, of course, of a very different shape. 

 Their longer wings and thicker, shorter necks will identify them 

 either when on the wing or when swimming on the water. 

 We were much amused by watching one young Gannet 

 which had evidently not learned the true art of diving. It 

 kept its wings fully outspread instead of sloping them back- 

 wards, and dived sideways, making a terrific splash, and hardly 

 succeeding in submerging its own body. Whether it secured 

 any food. by this awkward method of fishing we were unable 

 to discover, but it worked very diligently for a long while. 



