PELECAXID^. 177 



Ganiiet. Sula hassana (Linn.). 



[Solan Goose ; Channel Goose (iV. Z*.).] 



Eesident, being always to be found off some part of tbe coasts, at a 

 longer or shorter distance from land. 



Lundy Island is the only breeding-station of the Gannet off the S.W. 

 coasts, and the modern history of this interesting bird in this its ancient 

 haunt is a sad tale of persecution. Formerly the birds occupied a rocky 

 island at a sliort distance from the northern end of Lundj', which goes by 

 the name of the Ganiiet Hock ; but here they were so constantly harried 

 by the Channel pilots that they shifted their quarters to another station 

 on Lundy itself, whore unfortunately the cliffs are not sufficiently preci- 

 pitous to prevent their nests being plundered by the egg-stealer, Mr. 

 AVright, the tenant of Lundy. informs us that he does not think a single 

 young bird has been reared during the last seven years ! The eggs are 

 systematically taken, finding a ready sale at Is. each to tourists and 

 others. We are told that the number of nests, "when they were counted 

 the season before last, was about seventy. But it is very evident that 

 the birds will not long endure such a cruel and senseless persecution, and 

 any day we should not be surprised to hear that they have finally left a 

 spot where they can secure no peace. At the time when they were 

 driven from the Gannet llock a few pairs migrated to Grassholm, a small 

 island off" the west coa'^t of Pembrokeshire, and here they flourished greatly 

 and rapidly increased in numbers, as our friend Mr. Mortimer Propert, of 

 St. Davids, who visited Grassholm in 1SS6, calculated there were then at 

 least 1250 nests in four distinct colonies. On this remote island the 

 Gannets resided in comparative safety until three years ago, when a party 

 landed one day from a gunboat, and committed a wanton massacre of 

 many of the old birds, and amused themselves by throwing the eggs into 

 the sea ! AVe are glad to add that justice reached the perpetrators of 

 tliis senseless act, and we trust the Grassholm Gannets will be left alone 

 fur the future. Little parties of Gannets may be seen passing up and 

 down the Channel off the Ilfracombc coast in the autumn and winter, 

 and on Torhay we have seen great numbers in October. The boatmen at 

 Tonpiay have a custom of capturing them in a cruel way, by fastening a 

 herring to a deal plank and then ]»lacing it on the water, and presently, 

 the bait being espied by a ])assing Gannet, the bird plunges itself 

 downwards with great force, and driving its beak into the soft wood is 

 lield a fast i)risoner until the boatmen como up and scicure it. 



AVe once had a Gannet brouglit to us alive in J)eceml)er which had swal- 

 lowed a baited fish-hook, and it ])i-()ved a very forinidalih* \wt, as it made 

 vigorous stalls at all who approach(;d with its ])owerful beak. We know 

 of no instances of (iannets coming up the tidal rivers, even after the 

 Hcvercst storms, although there are many cases of immature Ijirds having 

 been picked up dead far inland. 



The old (iannets in tlieir full nesting-plumnge, wlicn llicy have ihfir 

 straw-coloured heads, bright blue patch of skin amuiul the cyts, pure 



