GANNET. 
11 
female refusing to leave. During the struggle the male was almost choked. After ha\ ing been seized by the 
throat by his spouse, Avho resolutely refused to let go, he dragged her from the nest in his attempt to escape, 
and the unfortunate habhy was precipitated out of the nest *. As the accident was witnessed, and the young 
one immediately returned to its quarters, no harm resulted. 
“ 20th. Amount? bird much increased in size and doAvn. 
“ 21th. Male and female Gannets once more friendly, and sitting cosily side by side on the nest. Aoung 
bird noAV increasing rapidly. The down by this time was thicker on the body (AAdiere it had been so long in 
making its appearance) tlian on the head and neck. The old birds noAV feed the young one, standing OA'er and 
opening the mouth (the jaAA’s seeming in some manner to unhinge to an unnatural extent), the young one 
rising up and stretching Avell into the gullet. 
“ 28th. The old birds did not noAV stretch down their heads so far AAdien feeding. The food supplied 
consisted of good-sized pieces of mackerel, one third of a fish being noticed to fall down the young one’s throat. 
“ 31st. IVhilo feeding the young one the old male dropped a Avliole mackerel from his throat, hut 
immediately snatched it up and resAvalloA\md it, duly correcting the bal)by, Avho had made an attempt to 
appropriate the fish. The young bird almost entirely coA^eredwAUth doAAm up to the black face. 
“August 9th. The manners of the Gannets are not nice. Both old birds Avere sitting on the nest Avhile 
the male AA'as feeding the infant. A herring and scA^eral pieces happened to drop from his throat, Avhen a 
portion Avas seized by the young one, Avhile the female at once laid hold of the herring, leaving only the 
remaining bits to her lord and master, Avho fortliAvith gobbled them up and then AA^addled off to the pondf. 
“ 11th. Young Gannet apparently fully covered Avith down, but no feathers as yet showing. 
“ 18th. Tail-feathers just commencing to shoAV on the young bird. 
“ 21st. The tail Avas noAV plainly Ausible all round, and the wing-feathers Avere just appearing. 
“ 2Gth. The feathers Avere noAV coming thickly on the hack and Avings. 
“ Sept. 1st. A^oung Gannet getting Avell fledged on hack and Avings ; feathers also shoAving plainly on the 
forehead ; this part being hare black skin, the feathers resemble small Avhite specks. 
“ 6th. The young bird noAV took food AAdien offered, and succeeded in sAvalloAving a couple of mackerel 
placed in its mouth. 
“ 13th. Nearly all the doAvn disappeared off the back of the young bird, the feathers shoAving through the 
down all over the breast. 
“ 17th. The young Gannet was today left in the nest for a short time, unattended by either male or 
female. Very little doAvn now visible : a small hunch on back of neck and under the throat, and a feiv 
patches on the flanks. 
“ 19th. Young Gannet attacked severely by the male, who seized the poor bird by the neck and, forcing 
it from the nest, dashed its head against the Avoodwork of the shed. In order to pre\'ent a recurrence of 
this treatment, the nest was shut off AAdth wire-work, so as to keep the old birds at a distance. 
“ 20th. As the young bird appeared uneasy in confinement, continually attempting to get through the 
wires, and causing the beak and feet to bleed, it Avas released. The parents for some time would take but little 
notice of their offspring, though the poor bird at once made its AAmy toAvards them and cried for food J ; at 
length one and then the other AA^ould occasionally pluck a little of the doAAm from the head. 
* Dead youngsters round the nests and on the ledges on the Bass plainly show the rough treatment they go through when their parents fall out. 
t These facts are recorded somewhat minutely, as they assist in accounting for the quantities of deconiposing fish noticed on the breeding- 
ledges. AVhere the birds are thick and frequently snapping at one another, as well as dragging away portions of the nests, it will he readily 
understood how the fragments collect. 
i The natives of Canty Bay (who ought to be well acquainted with the habits of the Geese) declare that the old birds take no notice of the 
young after leaving the nest. According to my own observations, this statement appears correct. 
