4 So GANNET. Clafs IH 



From the corner of the mouth is a narrow flip of 

 black bare skin, that extends to the hind part of the 

 head : beneath the chin is another, that like the pouch 

 of the Pelecan, is dilatable, and of fize fufficient to 

 contain five or fix entire herrings ; which, in the 

 breeding feafon, it carries at once to its mate or young. 



The neck is very long: the body flat, and very 

 full of feathers: the crown of the head, and a fmail 

 fpace on the hind part of the neck is buff colored : : 

 the reft of the plumage is white: the baftard wing 

 and greater quil feathers excepted, which are black; 

 the legs and toes are black; but the fore part of both 

 are marked with a ftripe of fine pea green. The tail 

 confifts of twelve fharp pointed feathers, the middle 

 of which is the longed. 



The young birds, during the firft year, differ 

 greatly in color from the old ones; being of a dusky 

 hue, fpeckledwith numerous triangular white fpots; 

 and at that time refemble in colors the fpeckled Diver. 

 Each bird, if left undifturbed, would only lay one 

 egg in the year; but if that be taken away, they will 

 lay another ; if that is alfo taken, then a third ; but 

 never more that feafon. A wife provlfion of nature, 

 to prevent the extinction of the fpecies by accidents, 

 to fupply food for the inhabitants of the places 

 where they breed ; their egg is white, and rather lefs 

 than that of the common gooie ; the neft is large and 

 formed of any thing the bird finds floating on the 

 water inch as grafs. Tea- plants, fhavings, &c. Thefe , 

 birds frequent the ijle of Ailj'a % in the Firth of Clyde ; 

 the rocks adjacent to St: Ki/da-j a fmall ifie Dearth? 



Orkrieys ■. 



