183 



has several breeding-places on islands, among which Grimsey, the Keykjanes Fuglasker, and 

 some of the Vestmanneyjar are chief. According to Faber it remains there all the winter. It 

 breeds numerously in the Faeroes, the breeding-places being confined to the most western island 

 of the group, Myggenaes, where they nest on Pujgarsdrengur and Fleatidrengur, two isolated 

 stacks. It is found off the Norwegian coast ; and, according to Mr. Robert Collett, it occurs 

 during the herring fishery in winter and spring off the outer islands from Christiansand to 

 Nordland, and in some places, especially on the fishing-grounds from Jsederen to Stat, in 

 considerable numbers. A few remain over summer, though not to breed, on the west coast, 

 and visit almost every autumn and winter the tract between Lindesnses, eastward to the Swedish 

 frontier. North of the Arctic circle it is rarer, but has been shot on Lofoten, and on both sides 

 of the North Cape. In Southern Norway it is usually seen only after severe storms; and only 

 three are known to have been captured in the Christiania fiord ; but it has even been obtained 

 on fresh water, as on the Store Leesjo, in Smaalehnene. Nilsson states that it is rare in 

 Sweden, being only a straggler to the southern coasts. It is said to occur off Bohuslan from 

 July to March, but only visits the Baltic as a rare straggler. I do not find any record of its 

 occurrence on the Swedish or Finnish coasts of that sea ; but Brehm mentions one instance of 

 a specimen having been obtained in Mark Brandenburg ; and Dr. Schalow states (J. f. O. 1870, 

 p. 6) that one old male in full plumage was procured at Gross Schonebeck, near Joachimsthal, 

 and is now preserved at Berlin. It never breeds in Denmark, but is not seldom obtained there, 

 especially on the west coast of Jutland. Mr. Collin cites numerous instances of its occurrence ; 

 and Mr. Benzon also sends me particulars of adult and young examples sent to him from 

 Ringkjcebing, Thisted, and several other localities. Mr. Cordeaux found it very common near 

 Heligoland ; and Naumann says that it not unfrequently visits the mouth of the Elbe. 



Occasionally stragglers are found inland, usually driven in by stress of weather, and are, as a 

 rule, picked up dead or thoroughly exhausted. Borggreve says that it has once been obtained 

 at Neuwied, once in Mecklenburg, once in Oldenburg, and three times in Miinsterland. It only 

 visits the Dutch coasts in winter, usually after severe weather ; and the same may be said 

 respecting its occurrence off those of Belgium and France. M. Degland remarks that several 

 individuals were killed on the 6th July 1825, near Douai, and in February of the previous year 

 after some severe tempests more than 200 were found cast up dead on the coast near Abbeville. 

 It is stated to be common off the coast of Portugal and Spain. Mr. Howard Saunders observed 

 great numbers fishing off Cape Trafalgar in December ; and Colonel Irby writes (Orn. Str. Gibr. 

 p. 207), " During the winter season I always saw great numbers of Gannets in the Straits, 

 especially close to Gibraltar, where, according to the wind, they might be noticed fishing on 

 the leeward side of the Rock; and many a time have I watched them darting down from a 

 considerable height on their prey, often disappearing quite under the water. On the wing, to 

 an inexperienced observer, they appear like a large Gull. The immature birds in their dull 

 spotted dress, perhaps through not attracting so much notice, seem to be less in number than 

 the more conspicuous white adults with their black primaries. The earliest dates on which I 

 observed this species near Gibraltar were on the 11th of November, 1870, and the 12th of 

 October, 1871, the latest being on the 28th of March, 1872. I noticed many on the last date ; 

 but that spring was remarkable for the late stay of several northern-breeding species." The 



5u2 



