326 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Intrepidity of the St. Kilda fowlers. 



along paths so narrow and difficult, as, in ap- 

 pearance, to allow them barely room to cling, 

 and that too at an amazing height over a raging 

 sea. Where this cannot be done, the fowler is 

 lowered by a rope from the top ; and to take the 

 young, often stations himself on the most dan- 

 gerous ledges: unterrified, however, he ransacks 

 all the nests within his reach; and then, by 

 means of a pole and his rope, moves off to other 

 places to do the same. (See the annexed en- 

 graving.) It has been also said by travellers, 

 that to take the old birds, the inhabitants tie a 

 herring to a board, and set it afloat; so that by 

 falling furiously upon it, the bird may break its 

 neck in the attempt. This, however is unlawful; 

 for the fastening of herrings thus to planks at 

 sea, to catch the Soland goose, or gannet, is for \ 

 bidden under a'severe penalty. 



Some years ago one of these birds was flying 

 over Penzance in Cornwall, wben seeing some 

 pilchards lying on a fir plank, in a place for cur- 

 ing those fish, it darted itself down with so much 

 violence, as to strike its bill quite through an 

 Jnch-and-a-quarter plank, and kill itself on the 

 spot. 



The gannet seems to attend the herrings and 

 pilchards during their whole progress round the 

 British Islands ; and sometimes migrates in quest 

 pf food as far southward as the mouth of the 

 Tagus, being frequently seen off Lisbon during 

 the month of September. From this time till 



