100 EARLY ANNALS OF ORNITHOLOGY 
of the very same species with the common wild duck or with 
the domestic duck ; but inasmuch as they very nearly resemble 
them in colour and in shape, they share with them the common 
name, but for the sake of distinction are called solans. These 
ducks then, or these geese, in the spring of every year return 
from the south to the rock of the Bass in flocks, and for two 
or three days, during which the dwellers on the rock are careful 
to make no disturbing noise, the birds fly round the rock. 
They then begin to build their nests, stay there throughout 
the summer, living upon fish, and the inhabitants of the rock 
eat the fish which are caught by them. The men climb to 
the nests of the birds, and there get fish to their desire. 
(ER 
laren 5 
The Middens oe aia as 
Stone Byte INL (a. The Bese 
roe ete 5 (North Berwick PH) 
West Cove 
Castle & 
(Ruins of) * 
Crane Bastio 
THE BASS ROCK (Ordnance Survey). 
Marvellous is the skill of this bird in the catching of fish. 
With lynx-like eye he spies the fish at the bottom of the sea, 
precipitates himself upon it, as the hawk upon the heron, and 
then with beak and claw drags it to the surface [orig.: quem 
protinus ore & ungulis extrahit]; and if at some distance 
from the rock he sees another fish better than the first that 
has caught his eye, he lets the first escape until he has made 
sure of the one that was last seen; and thus on the rock 
throughout the summer the freshest fish are always to be had. 
The ducklings, or goslings, are sold in the neighbouring 
country ; if you will eat of them twice or thrice you will find 
them very savoury. For these birds are extremely fat, and 
the fat skilfully extracted is very serviceable in the preparation 
of drugs; and the lean part of the flesh they sell. At the end 
of autumn the birds fly round about the rock for the space 
