I78 OBSERVATIONS ON THE GANNET. 



diving, (from which it is natural to infer they are 

 incapacitated for diving) ; but they defend them- 

 selves most obstinately, when about to be seized. 



The bill of - the gannet differs from that of most 

 birds, for it is not only destiture of nostrils, but on 

 each side the upper mandible towards the base, is 

 a dentation that divides the margin, and thus ad- 

 mits of a considerable motion. The eye is pro- 

 tected by an unusually pellucid nictitating mem- 

 brane, that at once guards that delicate organ 

 from the common accidents incident to its habits, 

 and at the same time admits of a sufficiency of 

 light for all the purposes of vision. This cir- 

 cumstance has been noticed by several authors ; 

 but those who affirm that the gannet possesses a 

 dilatable pouch, like the pelican, under the chin, of 

 a size sufficient to contain five or six herrings, 

 cannot have examined that part with due atten- 

 tion. The oesophagus, it is true, is extremely ca- 

 pacious, and the skin of the throat and neck is 

 equally capable of distention, so that five or six 

 fishes, of the size of a herring, might be contained 

 in the gullet and stomach ; for there appears to be 

 very little difference between them, or in other 

 words, the stomach is a continuation of the oeso- 

 phagus with little or no stricture or division. 



It is well known, that many birds regurgitate with 

 much ease and facility ; and that instinct points 

 out to them this mode of preparing the food in- 

 tended for the nourishment of their young, in the 

 receptacle, usually termed the craw : in this man- 



