356 FOREIGN BIRDS. 



Fierce warriors o'er ocean pursuing their way, 



And who merciless pounce, as they pass, on their prey. 



ocean. When in flocks their audacity lias sometimes prompted 

 them to brave even man himself. It is said a cloud of them at- 

 tacked a crew of French sailors upon tbe Island of Ascension, 

 and, till some of them were struck down, endeavoured to snatch 

 the meat from their hands. From the length of their wings, 

 when upon the ground or on the water they cannot easily take 

 flight ; they are, therefore, rarely, if ever, seen on the water. 

 Although having palmate feet, they perch commonly on trees 

 or other eminences, where they also build: eggs one or two, 

 fiesh-colour, spotted with crimson. Inhabits within the tropics. 

 See the preceding article. 



The Bassanus, Gannet, Common-Gantiet, or Soland- Goose, has 

 a white body ; bill and primary quill feathers black ; face blue ; 

 length three feet ; three varieties ; one inhabits Cayenne, the 

 other two Europe and America. The gannets are birds of 

 passage, arriving in this country in March, and quitting it in 

 August or September. Their chief food is herrings, although, it 

 is said, they cannot dive for them. They are found in vast 

 numbers on the rocky recesses of Scotland ; and particularly on 

 the Bass rock, at the entrance of the Frith of Forth, whence 

 this bird has obtained its specific name. Egg one ; but, if that 

 be carried away, the female will lay twice or even thrice. The 

 young grow very fat ; and, in St. Kilda, with the egg?, contri- 

 bute to the support of the inhabitants, who contrive to take 

 them by being suspended by a rope from precipitous rocks, two 

 hundred fathoms from the ground. The eggs and food thus pro- 

 cured are preserved in pyramidal stone buildings, covered with 

 ashes, to defend them from moisture. Their winter retreat is 

 said to be off the coast of Cornwall, far out at sea, and in every 

 part of the British and Irish Channel, pursuing herrings and 

 pilchards. See the Introduction. 



