46 EARLY ANNALS OF ORNITHOLOGY 
above, looks very yellow, and which would be likely to attract 
notice by its loud ery. 
Another chapter of the ‘ Topographica Hibernica ”’ treats 
of the Crane, said to be so common in Ireland that *‘‘ uno 
in grege centum, et circiter hunc numerum  frequenter 
invenias.” These may have been only Herons, but the 
statement is backed by two pictures of Cranes in the Giraldus 
MS. preserved in the British Museum. 
Other birds enumerated by Giraldus are the Merlin, 
Hobby, Kingfisher (avicule quas martinetas vocant), Shrike. 
Raven, Hooded- and Carrion-Crows, Grouse, Capercaillie (?), 
Quail, Woodcock, Snipe, Land-Rail and Wild Swan. 
Giraldus further describes a white Goose called a ‘‘ Gante,” 
which was wont to come to Ireland “in multitudine magna.” 
Probably he only meant a migratory species of Grey Goose, 
but the passage is obscure, and puzzled Mr. J. F. Dimock. 
In this sense Gante is employed by  Venatius 
Fortunatus— 
‘“* Aut Mosa dulce sonans quo grus, ganta, anser, olorque ; 
Triplice merce ferax, alite, pisce, rate.’—Lib. 7, Poem 4 
—and by other writers quoted in the ‘ Glossarium 
ad scriptores ” (1733), of Du Cange, the French historian. 
“ Gante”’ was used in the “ Rolls of Normandy ”’ of the twelfth 
century for the domestic Goose, from which it has descended 
to families of that name at the present day. 
Saint Cuthbert’s Birds. —Before quitting the twelfth century 
a word must be bestowed on the Farne Islands, a rich nursery 
of birds upon the Northumbrian coast, and doubtless a 
breeding-place of great antiquity. Such a resort of Gulls 
and Guillemots might be expected to have bequeathed 
us some early legends about its sea-fowl, yet only one 
has been preserved. A monk who lived in the twelfth 
century, and was known as Reginald of Durham: (d. 1173), 
has left an historical chronicle—printed in Vol. I. of the 
Surtees Society’s Publications*—wherein is described a 
miracle in connection with certain birds on the Farne Islands, 
one of which, presumably an Eider Duck, was killed and 
eaten by a manservant named Leving. After commencing 
* 1835, T., p. 60, Cap. XXVII. 
